Maternity, Paternity and Parental Leave: Data Related to Duration and Compensation Rates in the European Union

Upon request by the FEMM Committee, the Policy Department C: Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs has developed a number of figures visualising duration of and compensation rates of previous incomes during maternity, paternity and parental leave in the Member States of the European Union. The figures are based on data published notably by the European Commission and the International Labour Organisation between 2012 and 2014 which were cross-checked with data collected by the European Parliamentary Research Service and Eurofound in 2014. The data has been collected in relation to a possible revision of Council Directive 92/85/EEC on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health at work of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding and include comparisons with the Commission proposal and EP's First Reading in this respect. Literature on the role of reconciliation policies for economic growth and gender equality as well as the important role of maternity leave provisions for such reconciliation policies is also summarized.