Parental Leave in Europe by Country
Maternity, paternity and parental leave in every EU and EEA country, the UK and Switzerland: weeks, pay, and how many weeks a couple gets at 65% pay or more.
Counting only leave paid at 65% of pay or more, Romania (about 115 weeks), Hungary (109) and Estonia (86) give a couple the most well-paid leave in Europe as of January 2026, ahead of Luxembourg (74), Austria and Croatia (69 each). Ireland pays only flat rates, and the UK pays 90% for just 6 weeks.
Parental Leave in Europe by Country
Frequently asked
Which country in Europe has the longest maternity leave?
Bulgaria: 410 days paid at 90% of average pay, 45 of them before the birth, according to the MISSOC tables for January 2026. Several countries give longer leave in total if you count parental leave as well.
Does Germany have paternity leave?
Not as a separate statutory leave. Fathers in Germany use Elternzeit and Elterngeld instead: a couple can share 14 months of Elterngeld, with at least 2 for the second parent.
How is well-paid leave counted here?
We add up the weeks a mother and father can take on a benefit worth at least 65% of previous earnings, ignoring benefit ceilings and leaving out flat-rate payments. It is our own count from the official MISSOC rules, not an official statistic.
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