Family Law related content 

Employment ministers could ditch Parliament's maternity leave plans. A plan for longer maternity leave in the EU could effectively be killed off when employment ministers...

Commission preparing rules on property issues in marriages or civil unions. The European Commission is preparing rules to determine which national law should cover...

EU member states dismiss European Parliament's call for 20-week leave for mothers and two-week leave for fathers. EU employment ministers have ruled out extending maternity...

Fourteen EU member states are set to adapt one common rule for divorce. Fourteen EU member states are expected to soon have common rules to determine which domestic law...

Parliament's groups divided as MEPs take positions depending on the maternity leave provisions in their home countries. Members of the European Parliament are sharply...

The European Parliament will vote on 21 October on a proposal that would give fathers a right to paternity leave and would extend the minimum maternity leave from 14 weeks...

Businesses unhappy at Parliament proposal. A European Parliament proposal to increase maternity-leave entitlements would add hundreds of billions of euros to business costs,...

Commission to propose that ten EU member states go ahead with so-called enhanced co-operation on divorce rules. The European Commission is expected next week to propose...

Concerns about costs hamper efforts to raise mothers' minimum rights. Concerns about costs to businesses and governments are hampering efforts to raise mothers' minimum...

Concern about costs to business prompts second delay in the European Parliament. The European Parliament has postponed adopting legislation that would increase mothers'...

Commission wants EU citizens to bring all their assets under one common inheritance law. People who own property in more than one EU country should be able to choose to...

The European Commission will next week announce plans to crack down on sham marriages between EU citizens and people from outside the Union. 

EPP-ED and Liberals vote to postpone adoption of a report on parental leave rights. MEPs divided neatly along classical right-left political lines in a vote on maternity...

Agreement possible on easing Globalisation Adjustment Fund rules; extension of maternity leave remains a vexed issue. EU employment ministers will on 9 March discuss...

Nine countries invoke ‘enhance co-operation' in bid to set common rules for international divorces. Supporters of draft EU rules on divorce are pressing the European...

Nine countries take first step towards common legislation on international divorces; ten others may follow suit. At least nine member states have written to the...

Supporters argue proposals would forestall ‘race to courts' by would-be divorcees. A group of member states is pressing ahead with legislation on international divorce...

Concern about introduction of Islamic law a factor in opposition to European Commission's proposals. EU member states have failed to reach agreement on how to take forward...

Sweden's hostility to controversial proposals from the European Commission on divorce law has triggered a threat to use provisions in the EU treaties to bypass opposition....

Sweden has told the Slovenian presidency that it cannot support a proposal which would make it easier for couples to divorce in other EU states. The first meeting by member...