EU's contested plan for five-month paid maternity in limbo

EU's contested plan for five-month paid maternity in limbo

European Union ministers Friday failed to endorse a hotly-contested plan to offer new mothers in Europe five months of fully-paid maternity leave.

The scheme, approved by the European parliament late last year but notably opposed by Britain on grounds of the costs, was left in limbo after failing to win approval from EU ministers meeting in Luxembourg.

In a statement issued following the talks, the EU said "several ministers expressed their concerns."

"Some ministers, given the diverging views, advocated that the Council should consider not continuing its work on this topic, while others stressed that the work should continue."

The plan adopted by the parliament proposed raising maternity leave from 14 weeks to 20 while giving fathers across the 27-nation bloc two weeks to spend time with their newborn.

But some governments warned the 20-week fully paid leave would add a huge burden to hard-pressed economies, while business leaders argued it might work against giving jobs to women in the long term.

Britain said at the time it would more than double its maternity leave bill, adding up to 2.4 billion pounds a year (2.75 billion euros, $3.8 billion).

European parliament rapporteur on maternity leave, Portuguese Socialist Edite Estrela criticised the lack of progress but said work would continue to find a compromise "which will fulfil the needs of European families and of the European economy."

She said in a statement that pubic opinion favoured the scheme.

A recent EU-wide Eurobarometer opinion survey showed nearly eight out of 10 respondents, or 78 percent, in favour of maternity leave of 20 weeks at full pay.

The scheme will now go back to the EU executive, the European Commission, for further work.