This week, the European Commission has launched a first stage consultation with EU social partner organisations in order to learn how the work-life balance could be improved and how obstacles to women’s participation in the labour market could be removed. The consultation is the logical step following the withdrawal of the proposal to amend the Maternity Leave Directive by the EU Commission. The social partners have until 4 January 2016 to submit their views; parallel to this, a public consultation will be launched in the coming weeks.

Maternity Leave Directive has been replaced by a roadmap on work-life balance

In August 2015, the EU Commission published a roadmap for the initiative "A new start to address the challenges of work-life balance faced by working families". This initiative replaced the 2000 Commission to amend the Maternity Leave Directive. The aim of the new initiative to modernise and adapt the current EU legal and policy framework or parents with children or those with dependent relatives to enable a better balance and to strengthen gender equality in the labour market.

EU Commission expects input by social partners

The consultation paper provides a general overview of the main challenges, resulting from the work-life balance for parents and people with caring responsibilities.

Attention is also paid to the fact that women are increasingly better qualified; that to large degree they outshine men with regard to education and training, but that in spite of this they are not represented in the labour market accordingly. This, according to the Commission, has to change, be it with legislative or non-legislative tools. Now the social partners will have their say; to complement this consultation, a broad public consultation on work-life balance will be launched in the coming weeks.

Further information:

Information on the initiative of the EU Commission

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