BRUSSELS, March 11 (Reuters) - EU countries on Monday backed watered-down draft rules giving workers at Uber, Deliveroo and other online platforms more social and labour rights.

EU lawmakers and Belgium had clinched a political agreement last month but subsequently failed to muster enough support from EU countries as France, Germany, Estonia and Greece abstained from voting for the deal.

"Ministers just approved the compromise text on the Platform Work Directive (#PWD). This will improve the rights and conditions of more than 28.5 million Europeans working in the #PlatformWork economy," Belgium, current holder of the rotating EU presidency, said on social media platform X.

Proposed by the European Commission in 2021, the draft rules are aimed at an estimated 40 million gig economy workers in the European Union. (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee Editing by David Goodman)