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Extended leave for parents
15th of October 2010The European Parliament's Equality Committee has adopted an amendment to the EU Pregnant Workers Directive that would raise the minimum maternity leave entitlement in EU member states to 20 weeks.
The proposal removes the mandatory leave period before the birth of the child and introduces a right for women returners to take two-hour breaks from
Advantages of shorter hours
15th of October 2010Working shorter hours could reduce the burden our lifestyles impose on the environment while offering solutions to the mass unemployment caused by the economic crisis. That's according to research carried out by the University of Gothenburg.
Shortening working time by one per cent reduces the environmental impact by 0.8 per cent, according to
Europeans lose faith
15th of October 2010Only 42 per cent of Europeans say they trust the European Union, according to a new opinion poll from Eurobarometer, down six percentage points in six months.
The survey also found that fewer than half (49 per cent) of Europe's citizens see their country's membership of the EU as a positive thing, however 75 per cent said stronger coordination
Stronger European rules on late payment
15th of October 2010New rules to speed up bill payments by public authorities across the European Union have been agreed in Brussels. The regulations will require local authorities to make payment within 30 days in most cases, a move aimed at improving cashflow for small and medium-sized companies in particular.
In exceptional circumstances payments can be delayed