Brussels, 01/09/2008 (Agence Europe) -The European Commission is preparing to publish a draft directive on 8 October, which aims to extend maternity leave from 14 to 18 weeks and provides for full salary to be paid throughout this period to pregnant female employees in the European Union. This is the hope and intention of the Commissioner for Social Affairs and Employment, Vladimir Spidla, arguing equality of opportunity and the need to improve the condition of women, as quoted by the German...