Maternity leave: MEPs to question Commission plans to withdraw EU directive
Plans to withdraw a draft EU directive on maternity leave, after four years’ deadlock in the Council, will be debated on Tuesday in the light of EU Commission and Council statementsy. MEPs amended the first draft in October 2010 to extend maternity leave from 14 to 20 weeks on full pay and introduce two weeks’ paternity leave.
The European Commission’s initial proposal would have extended paid maternity leave from 14 to 18 weeks.
Paternity leave
Parliament amended the initial proposal to entitle fathers to at least two weeks’ paternity leave, on full pay, within the maternity leave period.
MEPs also added clauses to ban the dismissal of pregnant workers at any time from the start of a pregnancy to at least 6 months after the end of the maternity leave and to protect the health and safety of pregnant women at work.
Background
In October 2008, the Commission proposed to review the current legislation (Directive 92/85), as part of the "work-life balance" package, based on ILO Maternity Protection Convention of 2000. In October 2010 the European Parliament closed its first reading and submitted the amended legislation to the Council.
The withdrawal has been announced in the Commission Regulatory Fitness and Performance Programme (REFIT).
Procedure: Council and Commission statement (without resolution)
Procedure Code: COD(2008)0193
Debate: Tuesday, 15 July
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