Make more babies, get more hols

By 2012, mums and dads will have the right to a minimum four months of (paid) parental leave instead of three at the moment, De Standaard reports. On 30th November, the Ministers for Social Affairs agreed on a directive that seeks to tackle the problem of the European Union’s ageing population. The Union is aiming to “allow working parents to better balance family and work” and thus encourage Europeans to have more children. The Brussels daily points out that this is an individual right but that one of the two parents can ‘transfer’ some of their leave to their partner. In a country like Belgium this could mean that people get an extra month’s leave, but other member states will have to take account of existing forms of parental leave and adapt their legislation.