New rules to help parents and carers reconcile work and family life

“Today is a great day for all European families. We have reached an agreement on several new individual rights, not only for parents, but also for those who care for their relatives. Throughout the negotiations, we kept a strong position and acted in the interests of European families. What we have agreed upon will not only translate into a better quality of life for our citizens, but will also increase productivity and help reduce the gender pay and pension gap. I believe that the right balance between employees’ rights and employers’ expectations has been found”, explained David Casa MEP, Parliament’s Spokesman and Lead Negotiator on the issue, after the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission reached a political agreement in trialogue on the Work-Life Balance Directive.

The agreed text will allow the introduction of a 10-day paternity leave remunerated at national sick pay level, four months of parental leave of which 2 months will be paid and non-transferable. This text also gives the right to request flexible working arrangements and deals with the special situation of carers by creating a 5-day annual carer’s leave.

Agnieszka Kozłowska-Rajewicz MEP, the lead negotiator of the Directive in the Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee, said: “We in the EPP Group are committed to defending women’s and carers’ rights. We stood united before the Council and the Commission during the negotiations and succeeded in giving both mothers and fathers the opportunity to have equal rights to take care of their children and to pursue their professional careers. The agreement reached is a great step towards a better work-life balance for all working parents and towards improving the lives of families across all EU Member States.”