Press Release: Delivering for parents: Commission withdraws stalled maternity leave proposal and paves the way for a fresh approach

As foreseen in its 2015 Work Programme, on 1 July 2015 the European Commission reviewed progress on the draft Maternity Leave Directive, which had been stuck in the legislative process since 2008. The lack of progress by the co-legislators led the Commission to withdraw its proposal, following a six-month extension to negotiations.

The Commission set out its ideas for a new approach in the form of a roadmap 'New start to address the challenges of work-life balance faced by working families' issued in August 2015 leading the way towards a new initiative, which would be included in the Commission's Work Programme for 2016 (CWP 2016).

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Maternity leave: MEPs urge Council to restart talks http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-maternity-leave-meps-urge-council-to-restart-talks/

ESO: Background information: Implementing the 2015 Work Programme: Commission to withdraw proposals blocked in Parliament and Council http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-implementing-the-2015-work-programme-commission-to-withdraw-proposals-blocked-in-parliament-and-council/

EUObserver, 01.07.15: Commission withdraws maternity leave bill https://euobserver.com/news/129416

EurActiv, 02.07.15: MEPs fuming over Commission's abandonment of Maternity Leave Directive http://www.euractiv.com/sections/social-europe-jobs/meps-fuming-over-commissions-abandonment-maternity-leave-315958

Politico, 04.08.15: EU shelves maternity leave plan, and starts over http://www.politico.eu/article/europe-bailout-women-jourova-employment-equality/

EurActiv, 05.08.15: Brussels gears up for Maternity Leave II http://www.euractiv.com/sections/social-europe-jobs/brussels-gears-maternity-leave-ii-316802

European Commission: Smart Regulation: Roadmap: New start to address the challenges of work-life balance faced by working families, August 2015 http://ec.europa.eu/smart-regulation/roadmaps/docs/2015_just_xxx_maternity_leave.en.pdf

---