It has just been announced today that  self-employed workers and their partners will enjoy better social protection – including the right to maternity leave for the first time – under new EU legislation that enters into force today. The Directive on self-employed workers and assisting spouses (Directive 2010/41/EU) is meant to improve the social protection rights of millions of women in the labour market, strengthening female entrepreneurship.

"With the entry into force of this new law, Europe takes an important step forward in terms of increasing social protection and providing equal economic and social rights for self-employed men and women, and their partners," said Viviane Reding, (take a deep breath here) EU Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship and Vice-President of the European Commission. "The new European law ensures full equality in practice between men and women in working life, promoting female entrepreneurship and allowing self-employed women to enjoy better social security protection."

Under the new legislation, female self-employed workers and 'assisting spouses' or 'life partners' of self-employed workers are granted a maternity allowance and a leave of at least 14 weeks, should they choose to take it.

Who, exactly, is meant to pay for this is unclear...