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WORLD

Euro MPs back 20-week maternity leave plan

21.10.2010 [20:29]
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Baku, October 21 (AZERTAC). Euro MPs have backed a controversial draft law to extend maternity leave to 20 weeks on full pay and make that mandatory in the EU.

UK business leaders and Conservative MEPs lobbied against the proposal. The European Commission earlier recommended an extension to 18 weeks.

One assessment said the 20-week proposal could cost UK businesses an extra £2.5bn (2.8bn euros) a year.

Minimum maternity leave in the EU is currently 14 weeks.

Even though MEPs have approved the 20-week plan it cannot become law unless EU governments back it too, and the UK`s coalition government is among those lobbying against it.

The UK Department for Business said it was "very disappointed" by the vote. "We know other member states share our concerns about the real costs of this directive," a department official said.

The plan was adopted in a first reading on Wednesday, but long negotiations are expected with the governments - known collectively as the Council - before the new rules become law.

It is not yet clear what compromise will be reached with EU governments, nor when that will happen. A qualified majority is required in the Council for the plan to go back to MEPs for a second reading.

On 20 weeks the vote was 327 MEPs in favour, 320 against. And on full pay, the vote went 354 for, 308 against.

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