EU: social partners not ready to begin negotiations on work-life balance

On 30 September, after one year of consultation, the social partners notified the European Commission that they would not be initiating negotiations to review provisions regarding parental leave. The granting of paternity leave and leave to caregivers was also considered as part of the consultation. The Commission will therefore have to take charge of the issue and put forward its proposals at the start of 2017.
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The social partners’ decision does not come as a surprise, having previously refused to engage in negotiations to revise Directive 2003/88, which governs working time, and Directive 92/85 on pregnant workers, those who have recently given birth and those breastfeeding. Previous discussions between the European Parliament and the Council of the EU on both topics came to nothing, both in 2009 and 2015. Following this, the Commission said it would come up with a proposal on work-life balance befor

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