We’re not against maternity leave extension - Cristina

In a statement, the education and employment minister Dolores Cristina said the government was not against extending maternity leave but was insisting that unanimous agreement exists among EU member states on maternity leave conditions, and on their gradual phasing-in.

“The social policy ministers’ council meeting yesterday proved that the impact of the European Parliament’s proposal was very different from that of the European Commission,” Cristina said.

The minister added that the government had reduced income tax for women who return to the world of work and also increased childcare centres – this on the same day a Eurostat news release placed Malta at the top of EU member states with the highest percentage of inactive women – 51.1%,

Meeting in Brussels yesterday (6 December), EU social affairs ministers refused to accept the demands of the European Parliament regarding minimum standards of maternity leave. The Council is expected to agree its own position sometime next year.

Plans by the European Parliament to extend maternity leave from 14 to 20 weeks and introduce two weeks of fully-paid paternity leave are “premature”, Cristina said.

“Malta thinks this is a premature proposal which requires more studies on its impact before it can be considered,” Cristina told fellow ministers during a ministerial meeting in Brussels.

She argued that Malta was in favour of flexibility and the issue should be dealt with directly by member states on an individual basis.

Both proposals were rejected by the EU Council of Ministers, with Malta, along with a majority of member states, voting against. UK, France, and Spain, led the opposing member states.