Brussels, 18/05/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament has contributed to improving the status of “assisting spouses” and “life partners” of self-employed persons. On Tuesday 18 May, with the adoption of the resolution drafted by the rapporteur, Astrid Lulling (EPP, Luxembourg), by 592 votes to 30 and 36 abstentions, the European Parliament supports the idea that women who are self-employed and the assisting spouse or life partner of a self-employed worker must have the same maternity leave rights as employees. Member states must decide whether such social protection coverage (comprising maternity leave, sickness, invalidity and old age) must be compulsory for women or voluntary. Supporting the text adopted by the committee on women's rights on 4 May this year (see EUROPE 10132), the Parliament sends a clear message to the Employment and Social Affairs Council, which should adopt it on 7 June. Member states will then have two years in which to implement the new directive or up to four years “if member states find difficulties” in finding the way to grant standard social protection to self-employed women or spouses and partners of the self-employed.
During the debate, Astrid Lulling underlined that the progress made on this issue is in line with the principle of subsidiarity because “it leaves it up to member states to decide whether to organise social protection for spouses in line with their national law and whether it should be mandatory or voluntary”. Noting that some MEPs believe it is up to self-employed workers and their spouses to sort out their own social coverage, Astrid Lulling was pleased to point out that “we are still able to make European directives that are in the interest of citizens in the social field and which even result in reducing competition distortion in the single market”. She concluded by saying: “Politics is the art of the possible!”
The European Commission backed entrepreneurship in women and the text adopted on 4 May by the women's rights committee. It paid tribute to the efforts made by Astrid Lulling, “who managed to reach an agreement with the Spanish Presidency on this technically complex and politically thorny issue”.
Speaking on behalf of the EPP, Anna Zaborska of Slovakia highlighted the need to: 1) create conditions that are favourable for the family, which promotes the situation of SMEs and private initiative; 2) provide social conditions for those who have chosen to assist their spouse, “their work being a contribution to the economy in the same way as that of employees”, which is why they should be entitled to social coverage like employees; and 3) respect the principle of subsidiarity.
Rovana Plumb (S&D, Romania) said “this directive arrives just in time to give fresh impetus to the entrepreneurial activity of women”. The S&D Group is in favour of this directive as, they say, they “want self-employed workers or their assisting spouses to benefit from good social coverage and paid leave”. Maternity leave must not be considered as a drawback to the presence of women on the labour market. “Member states must find the way to keep these women active on the labour market and allow family life to be reconciled with professional life”, she concluded.
On behalf of ALDE, Antonyia Parvanova of Bulgaria welcomed the fact that, thanks to this directive, member states may ensure equal social rights when it comes to maternity leave for self-employed women and their assisting spouses. “The decision to amend the directive is modern and constructive”, Parvanova added.
Raül Romeva i Rueda of Spain, who spoke on behalf of the Greens/EFA, said one should not evoke the principle of subsidiarity when dealing with rights as fundamental as equal treatment. “These are clear rights that apply to all those who live in the EU”, she stressed, before going on to add that there are other directives underway dealing with maternity leave from the angle of equality. She said: “One cannot discriminate between member states depending on the kind of activity people want to do! Rights must be the same in all member states, especially given the different social security regimes that exist!
Marina Yannakoudakis of the ECR backed Astrid Lulling's idea whereby it is important to protect self-employed workers regarding the payment of social contributions for assisting spouses. She was, however, convinced that decisions in terms of jobs must be taken by national governments.
Eva-Britt Svensson of Sweden, speaking for the GUE/NGL, affirmed that women with a business and their assisting spouses must be covered by social security and business leaders should no longer be under the slightest discrimination especially with regard to parental leave and social security.
Maria Bozzotto of Italy said on behalf of the EFD that it was necessary to take account of reconciling professional and private and family life, as it is only in this way that positive measures for supporting the family will assume their full importance. (G.B./transl.jl)