<p>EU companies can ban headscarfs as long as it is a general prohibition that does not discriminate against employees, Europe's top court said on Thursday, the latest ruling on an issue that has divided Europe for years.</p>.<p>The case concerned a Muslim woman who was told she could not wear a headscarf when she applied to do a six-week work traineeship at a Belgian company.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/major-internet-disruption-in-iran-amid-renewed-protests-1153069.html" target="_blank">'Major' internet disruption in Iran amid renewed protests</a></strong></p>.<p>The firm said it has a neutrality rule, meaning no head covering is allowed on its premises, whether a cap, beanie or scarf. The woman took her grievance to a Belgian court, which subsequently sought advice from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).</p>.<p>The Luxembourg-based CJEU said there should not be any direct discrimination in such a ban.</p>.<p>"The internal rule of an undertaking prohibiting the visible wearing of religious, philosophical or spiritual signs does not constitute direct discrimination if it is applied to all workers in a general and undifferentiated way," judges said.</p>.<p>The CJEU last year said that EU companies could ban employees from wearing a headscarf under certain conditions, if they needed to do so to project an image of neutrality to customers.</p>.<p>In Germany, headscarf bans for women at work have been contentious for years, mostly with regard to aspiring teachers at state schools and trainee judges.</p>.<p>France, home to Europe's largest Muslim minority, prohibited the wearing of Islamic headscarfs in state schools in 2004. </p>
<p>EU companies can ban headscarfs as long as it is a general prohibition that does not discriminate against employees, Europe's top court said on Thursday, the latest ruling on an issue that has divided Europe for years.</p>.<p>The case concerned a Muslim woman who was told she could not wear a headscarf when she applied to do a six-week work traineeship at a Belgian company.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/major-internet-disruption-in-iran-amid-renewed-protests-1153069.html" target="_blank">'Major' internet disruption in Iran amid renewed protests</a></strong></p>.<p>The firm said it has a neutrality rule, meaning no head covering is allowed on its premises, whether a cap, beanie or scarf. The woman took her grievance to a Belgian court, which subsequently sought advice from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).</p>.<p>The Luxembourg-based CJEU said there should not be any direct discrimination in such a ban.</p>.<p>"The internal rule of an undertaking prohibiting the visible wearing of religious, philosophical or spiritual signs does not constitute direct discrimination if it is applied to all workers in a general and undifferentiated way," judges said.</p>.<p>The CJEU last year said that EU companies could ban employees from wearing a headscarf under certain conditions, if they needed to do so to project an image of neutrality to customers.</p>.<p>In Germany, headscarf bans for women at work have been contentious for years, mostly with regard to aspiring teachers at state schools and trainee judges.</p>.<p>France, home to Europe's largest Muslim minority, prohibited the wearing of Islamic headscarfs in state schools in 2004. </p>