11/03/2019 (Agence Europe) – Ahead of the Employment and Social Policy Council (EPSCO), a dozen NGOs (including Coface, AGE Platform Europe, Caritas Europa, European Disability Forum) published a press release on Monday 11 March in which they asked the competent ministers to transpose the Work Life Balance Directive as soon as possible. Objective: "to send a strong message and demonstrate to all families that the EU is working with and for them". For the organisations, the Member States must "assume their political responsibility" and not waste time a few months before the European elections. The Parliament and the Council reached a political agreement last January, making real progress on paternity leave, parental leave and carers leave (see EUROPE 12179/2). (PH)