The European Court of Justice has ruled that employers may, under certain circumstances, ban religious clothing.

Employers are entitled to ban staff from wearing visible religious symbols, the European Court of Justice ruled on Tuesday.

The court said businesses should have the freedom to choose how they operate, and that includes whether people will be allowed to wear items such as hijabs or crosses on chains.

The ruling was made in the cases of two women - in France and Belgium - who were dismissed for refusing to remove hijabs, the headscarf worn by many Muslim women who feel it is part of their religion.

Critics called the ban a thinly veiled measure targeting Muslims.