Paternity Leave in Europe: What Dads and Co-Parents Are Entitled To

The landscape of paternity leave across Europe has shifted more in the past decade than in the preceding fifty years. A growing body of research shows that when fathers and co-parents take substantial leave in the early weeks of a child’s life, the benefits ripple outward for years — stronger father-child attachment, more equitable division of domestic labour, better outcomes for maternal mental health, and improved wellbeing for children. Yet entitlements vary enormously from one country to the next, and many parents simply do not know what they are entitled to. This guide covers paternity leave entitlements for dads and co-parents in the UK, Germany, Sweden, France, and the Netherlands, with reference to EU Directive 2019/1158 which set a new baseline for all EU member states. Whether you are a biological father, an adoptive parent, or a same-sex co-parent, understanding your rights is the essential first step.

EU Directive 2019/1158: The Baseline That Changed Everything

EU Work-Life Balance Directive 2019/1158 came into force in August 2019 and required all EU member states to implement it into national law by August 2022. The directive established, for the first time, an EU-wide minimum entitlement to paternity leave: at least ten working days taken around the time of birth, paid at the level of sick pay or above. Equally important, the directive introduced a minimum of four months of individual, non-transferable parental leave for each parent — designed to encourage fathers to take leave by ensuring that if they do not use it, the family simply loses those months rather than transferring them to the mother.

The directive applies to all EU member states but not to the UK, which left the EU before implementation. However, the UK retained its own pre-existing framework, and subsequent policy discussions have drawn on the EU model. For parents living or working in EU countries, the directive sets a meaningful floor — no EU employer can legally offer less than ten days of paid paternity leave at sick-pay level.

UK Paternity Leave: Two Weeks and a Statutory Flat Rate

In the UK, eligible employees can take either one week or two consecutive weeks of Statutory Paternity Leave (SPL) after the birth of a child. To qualify, you must be the biological father, the mother’s husband or civil partner, or the partner of the mother, and you must have been employed continuously for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth. Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) is paid at £184.03 per week (2025/26) or 90% of average weekly earnings — whichever is lower — for the duration of leave taken.

The UK also has Shared Parental Leave (SPL), which allows couples to share up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of pay between them after the mother ends her maternity leave early. This is a more flexible system in theory, but the administrative complexity and the fact that SPP and SMP pay at the same flat rate mean that take-up has remained low, particularly among higher-earning fathers who face a significant income drop. The UK government has consulted on reforms to make shared parental leave more accessible, but at the time of writing, the statutory framework remains unchanged.

Germany: No Statutory Paternity Leave, But Elterngeld for Both Parents

Germany does not have a dedicated statutory paternity leave entitlement. There is no legal right to paid leave specifically for fathers around the birth, unlike in France, the Netherlands, or under the EU directive minimum. However, Germany’s Elterngeld (parental benefit) system is available to both parents and actively incentivises fathers to take leave. As described in the maternity leave article, the full 14-month Elterngeld entitlement is only available when both parents take at least two months each — the so-called Partnermonate (partner months). In practice, this means fathers who do not take leave cost their family two months of benefit.

In reality, a growing number of German fathers do take Elterngeld leave, though the duration tends to be short — the minimum two months — compared to mothers who often take the full available period. German law also allows fathers to take up to three years of unpaid Elternzeit (parental time off) per child, with job protection. Employers in some sectors offer contractual paternity leave above the statutory minimum, particularly in the public sector and larger corporations.

Sweden: The Model for Paternity Leave Equality

Sweden’s parental insurance system (Föräldraförsäkring) gives each parent 240 days of parental leave at the income-related rate (77.6% of earnings), plus 90 days at the flat rate — a total of 480 days per family. Crucially, the 240 days per parent cannot be transferred to the other parent; they are individual entitlements. This non-transferability is the most powerful driver of father participation. Swedish fathers now take approximately 30% of all parental leave days — far above the EU average — and the government has steadily increased the number of reserved days over the years.

Swedish fathers can also take ten days of paid leave immediately after the birth — the so-called Papa Days — at 80% of income, separate from the main parental leave entitlement. These days are available to both opposite-sex and same-sex couples. Sweden also has a strong cultural norm of fathers taking leave, backed by the knowledge that employers cannot legally discriminate against employees who use their parental leave entitlement.

France and the Netherlands: Rapid Recent Improvements

France significantly extended paternity leave in July 2021, increasing it from 11 days to 25 calendar days (28 for multiple births). The first three days must be taken immediately after birth; the remaining 22 days can be taken in one or two periods within six months of the birth. The leave is paid at 100% of net salary up to the social security ceiling. France also has a compulsory element — the three days immediately after birth are mandatory, making France one of the few countries where paternity leave is legally required to be taken, not merely available.

The Netherlands introduced birth leave (geboorteverlof) of one working week at full pay in 2019, followed by an additional five weeks of paid parental leave (WAZO) at 70% of daily wages, to be taken within the first six months of the child’s life. This means Dutch fathers and co-parents can now take up to six weeks of paid leave — a significant improvement from the previous single day. Take-up of the additional five WAZO weeks has grown steadily since introduction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a father take maternity leave instead of paternity leave in the UK?

Not in the traditional sense — maternity leave is specifically for the person who gives birth. However, under the Shared Parental Leave system, once the mother ends her maternity leave (after a minimum of two weeks), the remaining weeks can be shared with the partner, who takes them as Shared Parental Leave. This is effectively the closest equivalent to a father or co-parent taking what was previously the mother’s leave, but the systems operate differently administratively.

What happens if my employer refuses to grant paternity leave in an EU country?

In EU member states, paternity leave entitlements set by the implementation of Directive 2019/1158 are statutory rights. An employer who refuses to grant the minimum ten days cannot do so legally. You should contact your national labour inspectorate or equivalent employment rights authority. In most countries, you are also protected from detriment or dismissal for exercising your parental leave rights.

Does paternity leave apply to same-sex couples and adoptive parents?

In most of the countries covered here, yes. In the UK, the partner of the birth mother — regardless of gender — qualifies for paternity leave and pay. Sweden, Germany, France, and the Netherlands similarly extend rights to same-sex partners and, with some variation, to adoptive parents. The specific rules around adoption leave can differ, so check the relevant national guidance for your country.

Is paternity leave taken all at once or can it be split?

This varies by country. In the UK, SPL must be taken as either one or two consecutive weeks. France allows the leave (after the compulsory three days) to be split into up to two separate periods. Sweden allows leave to be taken flexibly — including quarter-day increments. The Netherlands allows the five additional WAZO weeks to be taken in multiple periods within six months. Always check the specific rules for your country and employer.

Conclusion

Paternity leave and co-parent leave are no longer marginal policy footnotes — they are central to gender equality, child development, and family wellbeing. EU Directive 2019/1158 has raised the floor across Europe, and countries like Sweden and France have gone considerably further. If you are a UK parent, the Shared Parental Leave system offers more flexibility than basic paternity leave but requires proactive planning with your employer. Wherever you are based, the most important step is to check your statutory entitlement early — ideally before the birth — and to look at whether your employer offers an enhanced scheme above the statutory minimum.