Joint Statement: Evaluating the EU Work-Life Balance Directive

6 October 2026 – Brussels, Belgium

In a joint statement, Mental Health Europe joins Eurocarers and fellow organisations working across disability, families, mental health, gender equality, ageing and care, and calls for European policies and workplaces that recognise the unpredictable reality of care.

It sets out a shared vision for making flexibility a reality for people who combine work and care.

The EU Work-Life Balance Directive – What’s happening?

Millions of people across Europe combine paid work with caring for a family member, partner, friend or neighbour. But care is unpredictable: an appointment changes, someone’s condition deteriorates, support falls through or an emergency happens. Working arrangements often aren’t designed for that reality.

The EU’s Work-Life Balance Directive introduced a minimum of five unpaid working days of carers’ leave and a right to request flexible working arrangements. The joint statement argues that this is an important step, but five days cannot meet ongoing or fluctuating care needs, and unpaid leave may be inaccessible to people who simply cannot afford to take it.

Why is this so important?

Because without adequate support, caring can come at a huge personal cost.

People may have to reduce their working hours, turn down career opportunities, take unpaid leave or leave work altogether. Over time, that can mean less income, weaker social protection and pensions, increased risk of poverty and social exclusion, and consequences for people’s health and wellbeing. ECD-26-Joint-European-Statement

In other words, this isn’t simply a workplace issue. It’s about whether someone should have to sacrifice their financial security, career or wellbeing because somebody they love needs care.

What needs to change?

MHE and fellow signatories are calling for policies and workplaces that reflect the reality of caring: meaningful carers’ leave, greater workplace flexibility, protection against economic insecurity, supportive employers, recognition of informal carers, and better access to affordable, high-quality long-term and respite care.

Importantly, the statement doesn’t present flexible working as a substitute for investment in care services. Flexibility is one part of the solution, not a way of shifting even more responsibility onto informal carers.