Greece becomes first EU country to introduce a six-day working week

A church in Anafiotika neighborhood, a part of the old historical neighborhood called Plaka, in Athens, Greece on March 16th, 2024.

Greece has controversially introduced a six-day working week for some businesses in a bid to boost productivity and employment in the southern European country.

The regulation, which came into force on July 1, bucks a global trend of companies exploring a shorter working week.

Under the new legislation, which was passed as part of a broader set of labor laws last year, employees of private businesses that provide round-the-clock services will reportedly have the option of working an additional two hours per day or an extra eight-hour shift.

The change means a traditional 40-hour workweek could be extended to 48 hours per week for some businesses. Food service and tourism workers are not included in the six-day working week initiative.

The pro-business government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said the measure is both "worker-friendly" and "deeply growth-orientated." It is designed to support employees not being sufficiently compensated for overtime work and to help crack down on the problem of undeclared labor.

Labor unions and political observers have sharply criticized the move.

A spokesperson for Greece's embassy in London was not immediately available to comment when contacted by CNBC.