The European Commission is considering withdrawing the draft Maternity Leave Directive (also known as the Estrela report) which was adopted with a large majority in the European Parliament in 2010 and has been blocked in Council since then. EU member states are still refusing to start the second reading phase. The Maternity Leave Directive would strengthen women’s rights by ensuring women across the EU are entitled to a minimum of 20 weeks of fully paid maternity leave and making sure they are protected when they return to work. The directive also includes provisions on paternity leave. Withdrawing this proposal sends an extremely negative signal to citizens all over Europe and is a massive setback for women’s rights.
Our Group calls on the Commission and the Council to commit to supporting the directive and conclude negotiations in the coming months, under the Italian presidency.