Press Release: Commission improves work-life balance for millions with longer and better maternity leave

Millions of women throughout Europe will be entitled to longer and better maternity leave under proposals unveiled on 3 October, 2008, by the European Commission. A separate proposal would also improve the situation of self-employed women by providing equivalent access to maternity leave, on a voluntary basis. The two initiatives formed part of a package of measures to improve work-life balance for all Europeans – both women and men. They aimed to update and improve existing EU legislation and will now be sent to the European Parliament and national governments for discussion. Meanwhile, the European social partners have launched negotiations to improve other forms of family leave, such as parental leave.

• Primary Source

European Commission: MEMO/08/1450: Work-life balance package http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/08/603&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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