Parental leave scheme to be continued

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In March 2003, Luxembourg's national Tripartite Coordination Committee decided that the parental leave scheme introduced on a time-limited basis in 1999 will be continued for the time being. The government is to draft new legislation on the issue and, while there will be amendments, the duration of parental leave will remain fixed at six months.

The national Tripartite Coordination Committee (Comité de coordination tripartite) met on 26 March 2003 to take a view on the direction to be taken by a new bill on measures to be contained in Luxembourg's next National Action Plan (NAP) on employment, in response to the EU Employment Guidelines.

Some of the provisions introduced by the country's first NAP in 1999 ( LU9903195F and LU9903197F) were limited in time and applied only until 31 July 2003. These provisions consisted mainly of the introduction of a right to six months’ parental leave and the stipulation of a number of issue that the social partners had to address when drawing up collective agreements - notably the organisation of working time and reference periods, training, job creation and equal opportunities.

At the March meeting, the government and social partners reached the conclusion that the period of time which has elapsed since the new provisions began to operate (ie four years) is not long enough to enable them to come to a valid decision on the advantages and disadvantages of the measures. They thus decided to extend these provisions for the time being. It was also agreed that the Ministry of the Family and the Ministry of Labour will draft a new bill on parental leave on the understanding that, although some provisions will be amended, the duration will remain fixed at six months.