Employment ministers on Monday (6 December) rejected a proposal set forward by the European Parliament to extend maternity benefits from 14 to 20 weeks of full pay, seen as excessive while governments struggle to cope with budget deficits. Most states were also sceptical of an 18-week maternity leave proposed by the EU commission.
"The very, very great majority of member states consider that parliament went too far in offering to extend maternity leave to 20 weeks, with 100 percent pay....
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