En outre, les femmes auront davantage de latitude pour choisir la période à laquelle elles prendront la partie non obligatoire de leur congé (avant ou après la naissance) et ne seront donc plus tenues de prendre une partie spécifique de leur congé avant la naissance, ce qui est actuellement le cas dans certains États membres.
The Commission's proposal on maternity leave (revising the existing Directive 92/85/EEC from 1992) would increase the minimum period of leave from 14 to 18 weeks and recommend to pay women 100% of their salary but with a possibility for Member States to set a ceiling at the level of sick pay. In addition, women will have more flexibility over when to take the non-compulsory portion of their leave (before or after childbirth) and would thus no longer be obliged to take a specific portion of the leave before childbirth, as is presently the case in some Member States.