Maltese fathers should soon benefit from a month's parental leave following an agreement signed this week between the EU's social partners.

Following lengthy talks, the European social partners, representing business, trade unions, SMEs and public servants, agreed to extend parental leave by a month, up to four months.

Under the agreed terms, the additional fourth month can only be taken up by the mother's partner and this entitlement is not transferable. In practical terms, this means a woman is entitled to take three months parental leave following the birth or adoption of a child and her partner is entitled to take an additional month. All this applies until the child reaches the age of eight.

Social Affairs Commissioner Vladimir Spidla said the European Commission would now propose legislation on the issue "before the end of summer".

The new agreement would make a difference to many Maltese workers, particularly those who work in the private sector and who, according to the law, are only entitled to three months parental leave, including the fully paid 14-week maternity leave.

Through this agreement, fathers working in the private-sector will be able to take an added month of leave to care for their children although this will not be paid.

The agreement, though, will not make a difference to civil servants and other public officers, who, in Malta, already enjoy much better parental leave conditions.

Parents in the public service are afforded unpaid parental leave for up to one year per child and unpaid leave extended over five years but this is a once-only option. The parental leave can also be shared by both parents.

The agreement is the latest in a series of decisions undertaken by the EU to increase the work-family balance and to encourage fathers to share more the responsibility of child upbringing with mother.