The Labour Party has received 206 proposals for its new emblem which is expected to replace the current 60-year-old logo by the end of the year.

The proposals were submitted by 96 different applicants who included artists, students and graphic design companies, a PL spokesman said.

Now that the submission date has closed, on Wednesday, a technical team will come up with a shortlist from which PL members will then make the final selection.

Certain details, such as the number of entries for final voting, will be determined by the technical team made of PL chief executive James Piscopo and Ray Mangion, Albert Marshall, Jackie Mercieca and Edward Zammit. As dictated by the party statute, the new emblem will retain the torch, the Maltese flag in the background and the party name, which was officially changed to Partit Laburista from Malta Labour Party in November 2008.

This would be the Labour Party's fourth emblem in its 90-year existence. The present emblem first appeared in 1951, soon after Dom Mintoff took charge of the party after forcing the 1949 split.

During the launch of the emblem design completion, in May, Labour leader Joseph Muscat said the new design should represent an evolution to reflect the way the party was changing.

The winning designer will be awarded €1,000.