Maternity leave provisions in the EU Member States : duration and allowances

The Maternity Leave Directive (92/85/EEC) is concerned with improvements in the safety and health at work of women who are pregnant, have recently given birth or who are breastfeeding.

The report finds that nearly all Member States comply with the directive’s provision of granting at least two weeks’ mandatory maternity leave before and/or after childbirth; a majority exceed this requirement.

In the majority of Member States, replacement rates stand at 100% of the former salary – at least for a certain period of time.