New generous EU-wide maternity laws will cost £2 billion

By Andrew Porter, Political Editor Published: 8:00PM GMT twenty-three February 2010

New mothers would be since eighteen weeks leave on full compensate underneath the new directive.

At the impulse they usually get 6 weeks on full pay, and a orthodox �123 a week for the subsequent 33 weeks, creation it in sum a 9 month duration of pay. A serve 3 months can be taken as delinquent leave.

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Last night commercial operation groups urged Labour ministers to halt the plans, that would see all twenty-seven European Union states signing up to the stereotyped plans, prior to it was as well late.

David Yeandle, the head of practice routine at the EEF manufacturers, said: "The lengthening of this duration of full-paid leave would come with a really complicated cost to business. We guess it to be in in between �1.752billion.

"At a time when the mercantile liberation is so frail it simply cannot be authorised to go ahead. We have got a little of the majority inexhaustible maternity leave laws in Britain and they appear to work well with majority women returning to work, but this try to have a usual customary opposite the EU is a step as well far."

John Cridland, emissary director-general of the CBI, added: "At a time when economies opposite Europe are struggling to recover, and majority treasuries are short of money, it would be rarely deleterious to enlarge the costs of orthodox maternity pay."

The Institute of Directors additionally uttered defamation of the plan observant commercial operation would be the crook if MEPs got their way.

Yesterday, the European Commission began the routine of moulding a new EU-wide gauge on womens rights and gender equivalence began in Brussels and could go prior to MEPs to opinion on at the European Parliament subsequent month. It would afterwards head in to a longer legislative routine prior to probability apropos law in eighteen months to dual years.

Lord Young, the practice minister, said: "The Commissions proposals are usually at an early stage, but we do have concerns and are lobbying tough to get the right understanding for the UK.

"We already have a inexhaustible complement that is improved than majority EU countries and functions well, balancing the needs of commercial operation and workers. A estimable enlarge in maternity leave paid at full or near-full compensate risks undermining this ethereal change at a time when economies opposite the EU can slightest means it."

Mr Yeandle pronounced he was speedy that British ministers and officials did appear to assimilate what was at stake, but he pronounced he feared that that Brussels equine trade over the gauge could miscarry on business.

Last month the Government authorized the routine for new paternity manners in Britain that additionally captivated a little disastrous greeting from commercial operation leaders.

It will meant that from Apr fathers will be means to take up to 6 months off whilst a new-born babys mom earnings to work carrying taken the initial 6 months of her leave.

It would concede the father to take the subsequent 3 months with orthodox compensate of �123 a week and an one some-more 3 months delinquent leave.

Ministers pronounced it would meant mothers who consequence some-more than their father or partner can lapse to work progressing than underneath the old system. Department of Business investigate has shown that of the 350,000 dual thirds of women lapse to work.