EC wants longer maternity leave. Member States don’t.
Virtually all countries of the European Union have decided against a longer maternity leave for mothers and a two weeks leave for fathers during a general meeting on the 6th of December, 2010. The Netherlands and some other countries expressed strong criticism about the proposal of the European Parliament.
"I do not fully understand why the European Union interferes with this matter. Each country has a proper functioning systems'', says Minister Henk Kamp of Social Affairs and Employment, after consulting with his European colleagues in Brussels.
The Member States regard the extension of paid leave too expensive for governments and industry, especially in these times of budget cuts. The Netherlands, with its present system of 16 weeks maternity leave, called the expected additional costs of more than half a billion euro’s unacceptable. Also, some countries fear that employers are less inclined to hire young women. They feel that the current EU minimum of 14 weeks is enough.
"We do not need an extension of the maternity leave and paternity leave, We have our own policies which work properly'' says Kamp. The current arrangements in the Netherlands are sufficient in 96 percent of cases, said the minister. The sick leave offers solace in cases where an extension is needed for medical reasons. Also, parents can take up to 26 weeks unpaid leave.
8 countries, including Britain, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands, now ask for some time to reflect on their own policies and that which has been discussed during the meeting.
With their proposal in October 2010 parliamentarians went
further than the European Commission, which pleads for a minimum 18
weeks maternity leave. The parliament called the extended maternity
leave breakthrough for equality between men and women. They also
stressed that it would be far better for the baby.
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