Doc. 8543

23 September 1999

Parental leave

Motion for a resolution

presented by Ms Calleja and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and only expresses the views of the members who have signed it

1.       In many countries, legislation on parental leave allows either the father or the mother to care for new-born babies and infants under the age of three.

- 2.       These legislative innovations at long last permit men to share the family responsibilities which traditionally fall to women.

3.       Apart from post-natal leave, for which only the biological mother is eligible, men and women, without distinction, are entitled to the possibilities offered by this new legislation (periods preceding and following childbirth, flexible working hours, parental leave), which thus permit women to continue their professional careers without interruption and enables a form of parity to be established in family and domestic responsibilities.

4.       The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is therefore called upon to urge national parliaments to adopt legislative reforms in order to put women and men on an equal footing as regards caring for new-born babies and infants under the age of three.

Signed (see overleaf)

Signed : ¹

Calleja, Spain, SOC

Busic, Croatia, EPP/CD

Cryer, United Kingdom, SOC

Dromberg, Finland, EDG

Felici, San Marino, SOC

Gülek, Turkey, NR

Herzog, Hungary, SOC

Jones, United Kingdom, SOC

Keltošová, Slovakia, EDG

Kulbaka, Russia, UEL

Neuwirth, France, EDG

Paegle, Latvia, EPP/CD

Pozza Tosca, Italy, LDR

Ringstad, Norway, LDR

Roudy, France, SOC

Staes, Belgium, EPP/CD

Stanoiu, Romania, SOC

Süssmuth, Germany, EPP/CD

Truu, Estonia, EDG

Vermot-Mangold, Switzerland, SOC

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG:European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL : Group of the Unified European Left

      NR : Not registered in a group