19/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has sent a reasoned opinion to Estonia for having incorrectly transposed into national law the directive on parental leave (96/34/EC). The directive aims to improve the work-life balance and provides for the individual right of workers (men and women) to parental leave of at least three months for the birth or adoption of a child. The directive of 8 March 2010 will increase this period to four months. Member states will have two years to bring their national laws into line with the new directive. The points raised in the reasoned opinion against Estonia are not affected by the new directive. Estonian law is ambiguous about whether it gives an entitlement to both the mother and the father, as required by the directive. Estonian legislation does not include a right to leave for the worker for urgent family reasons. (G.B./transl.jl)