**Draft legislation has been passed by a committee of the European Parliament to extend maternity leave across Europe to 20 weeks on full pay.**Current European rules give pregnant women 14 weeks leave fully paid.
In the UK, pregnant women get a year off, with the first 6 weeks on 90% pay, followed by 33 weeks on Statutory Maternity Pay. The rest is unpaid.
There are concerns that employers could discriminate against women of a child bearing age if the rules are passed.
The UK’s Employment Relations Minister Lord Young expressed his doubts about the proposals.
“We already have a generous system which is better than many European Union countries and works well, balancing the needs of businesses and workers,” he said.
“A substantial increase in maternity leave paid at full or near-full pay risks undermining this delicate balance at a time when economies across the EU can least afford it.”