During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on the working conditions for women.

Strasbourg

plenary session

TARABELLA, Marc (NI, BE)

ŠEFČOVIČ, Maroš (SK, EC)

joint debate

gender balance (T)

THOMSEN, Britta (S&D, DK)

PLUMB, Rovana (S&D, RO, S&D, RO)

ESTRELA, Edite (S&D, PT)

Working conditions for women: extracts from the joint debate

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Edite ESTRELA (S&amp;D, PT), rapporteur, These are measured proposals, in line with the recommendations from the ILO and the WHO. 20 weeks is a proper period of time to help women recover from giving birth, to encourage breastfeeding and to establish solid links between mother and child. A longer period could make it difficult for women to get back into the labour market. 100% payment is fair because families should not be penalised financially for having children, they should be able to have as many children as they want which are children that Europe needs to face up to the demographic challenge.

SOUNDBITE (Danish), Britta THOMSEN (S&amp;D, DK), rapporteur, We must try to enhance the position of women in the EU; the 2020 strategy establishes that a greater percentage of women should work. Only 60% of women are working at the moment and we have to try to get up to 80%, so it is quite a challenge that we have to meet.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, We need to tackle the reasons why women are more likely to have precarious jobs, the stereotypes, the unequal sharing of family and household tasks and the undervaluation of female dominated jobs. We also need to ensure that the growing female migrant workers who are often exploited in the grey economy are integrated into the labour market.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, The main points of the Commission's proposal include extension of the maternity leave by 4 weeks to reach the International Labour Organisation recommendations; encouragement to grant higher allowances and more flexibility for women to work until shortly before giving birth and finally a right to ask for flexible working hours.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maros SEFCOVIC, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Interinstitutional relations and Foresight, Introducing the paternity leave under the maternity directive is neither in line with the overall objective which we are pursuing, nor with the legal basis on which the proposal is made.

SOUNDBITE (Romanian), Rovana PLUMB (S&amp;D, RO), We want to have a guaranteed maternal leave and a leave that is going to be fully paid. Please let us consider that we should no longer penalise maternity in the EU in the 21st century and women should enjoy all necessary conditions for a decent work.

SOUNDBITE (French), Marc TARABELLA (S&amp;D, BE), I invite all colleagues to vote in favour of creating paternal leave which would last 2 weeks and which would be totally remunerated throughout the EU. I would ask the Commission and Council to support the creation of this right of fathers.