EC calls out Germany and others over parental leave rules

The European Commission is to send notices to Germany and 18 other EU countries for failing to implement new rules on parental leave, the commission announced on Wednesday, reported dpa.

The new legislation "aims to ensure equality in labour market participation by encouraging equal sharing of care responsibilities between parents," the commission statement said.

Under the Work-Life Balance Directive, the father or second parent has the right to take at least 10 days off work around the time of the birth, which is currently not the case in Germany.

The rules also foresee at least four months of parental leave, two months of which cannot be transferred from one parent to the other.

German legislation is more generous allowing parents up to three years of parental leave, of which up to 14 months are paid.

The bloc's 27 member states had until August 2, 2022, to transpose the legislation into national law, but 19 have not done so, according to the commission.

These countries now have two months to respond to the commission's infringement notices.

If the capitals do not implement EU law they have approved, the commission can ultimately take those member states to the European Court of Justice, the bloc's most senior legal body, which can impose fines until legislation is enacted.