Malta yesterday joined a chorus of EU member states opposing plans to extend the minimum maternity leave threshold from 14 to 20 weeks, laying the proposal to rest for now.

The vast majority of EU Social Affairs Ministers meeting in Brussels voiced objections to the proposal which had won the backing of the European Parliament last October.

“Malta thinks this is a premature proposal which requires more studies on its impact before it can be considered,” Social Policy Minister Dolores Cristina told her colleagues.

Malta, which had already signalled its intention to vote against, also opposed the Parliament’s proposal to grant two fully paid weeks of paternal leave to men fathering a newborn – at present fathers have just two days.

Almost all the EU’s member states rejected the EP’s plan although Italy and Sweden said they could live with it while objecting to Parliament’s attempts to determine pay rates. The UK, France and Spain led the opposition.

Although the proposal will be kept on the agenda, it will now have to be put on the backburner until the EP softens its position as it requires the joint green light of the Parliament and the EU Council to become law.

While Malta is leaving the door ajar to introduce some form of increase to the present maternity leave system, it completely rules out giving added benefits at this stage, insisting the timing is inappropriate.

Mrs Cristina argued that Malta was in favour of flexibility and the issue should be dealt with directly by member states on an individual basis.

Malta was in favour of work-life balance and gender initiatives but such a proposal would put an immense financial strain on member states, particularly at a time when they were recovering from the economic crisis.

Arguing against a one-size-fits-all approach, she said member states should be allowed to individually set the amount of leave and pay, which should be related to the level of pay given for sick leave and other benefits. Member states who wanted to introduce more benefits to would-be mothers should be allowed to do so gradually.

Back in 2008, the Commission had proposed amendments to the 1992 directive on health and safety of pregnant women, suggesting that the minimum threshold of maternity leave in the EU should increase to 18 weeks from 14.

The proposals were bolstered by the EP, which through further amendments pushed the minimum threshold to 20 weeks on full pay and introduced the two-week paternity leave concept. Following the vote, approved by a wafer-thin majority, the EP had been warned member states would reject such a proposal.

Businesses in Malta vehemently opposed it and had lobbied the government to reject it. According to an impact study carried out by the Maltese Business Bureau, the increase to 20 weeks would cost the Maltese economy €12 million a year. On the other hand, unions and the Labour Party have backed the EP’s position.

Maltese women can currently take 14 weeks maternity leave and be paid their full salary. Some EU member states allow more maternity leave than Malta, even up to a year in certain cases. However, the level of pay varies from a percentage of the full pay to unpaid leave.