PES Women President and MEP Zita Gurmai said: “The conservative-majority of the Council is once again sweeping women’s rights under the carpet. Improving the minimum standards for maternity leave is key for economic recovery and to upturn the demographic deficit. But none of these objectives can be achieved if conservatives continue to obsessively apply austerity measures to social policies. It is unfair and absurd that national governments pump millions into banks, industries and defence policies but that they have “economic issues” with crucial, long-term social policies.”
PES Secretary General Philip Cordery added: “The parallel declaration signed by a group of conservative governments calling the Proposal from the EP not socially progressive is another example on how the right uses the crisis to reject social policies. On the contrary, the progressive way is one where we ensure legislation that gives women the possibility to combine their professional life while having children”.
For further details, please contact:
Brian Synnott - Mobile: +32 474 98 96 75 - brian.synnott@pes.org
