On 16 March 2020, the European Commission amended its decision of 2013 on leave. An additional element concerning the conditions for the granting of leave in case of an arrival in the household of a new-born child has been added:

When a child is born and is then received by a staff member into his/her household, special leave equivalent to special leave for adoption shall be granted to the staff member where neither he/she nor his/her partner meets the conditions to benefit from maternity leave.

The term ‘child’ in the above paragraph means a dependent child within the meaning of the first and second paragraphs of Article 2(2) of Annex VII to the Staff Regulations, as well as a child for whom an official procedure for the recognition of paternity or maternity or equivalent procedure has been initiated.

This leave shall start at the earliest one week before the expected date of the birth and at the latest one week after the day on which the child is born.

Commission Decision C(2020)1559 of 16.3.2020 amending Decision C(2013)9051 of 16 December 2013 on leave