A grouping of Europe's Protestant, Anglican and Orthodox churches has urged the European Union to protect Sunday as a day of rest, as the 27-nation grouping considers new regulations on working time.

‘Scientific research shows that Sunday is more closely connected with the health of workers than any other day of the week,' the Church and Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches said in a statement issued on following a meeting at Nyborg in Denmark. It noted that the European Parliament and the 27 EU member states are currently negotiating a new directive to set down the hours that employees are able to work.