The 1995 Framework agreement on parental leave marked an important turning point for European Social Dialogue. It was the first agreement reached between the EU-level social partners under the Maastricht social policy procedure. Consequently, it was also the first agreement that was given force by a Council Directive, on 3 June 1996: Framework agreement on parental leave (Council Directive 96/34/EC).
Despite the successful transposition of the directive in all of the EU Member States and the fact that this first framework agreement promoted common ground for improving work-life balance in Europe, the effects it could have had on better reconciliation of work and family duties, which also undoubtedly have a positive impact on the inclusion of women in the labour market, were not entirely achieved. The revised framework agreement on parental leave tries to address some of the challenges by revising existing provisions or introducing new ones.
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