PARALLEL TEXTS
Il diritto dell’Unione non impone che una madre committente, che abbia avuto un figlio mediante un contratto di maternità surrogata, abbia diritto a un congedo di maternità o equivalente
Inglese tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CJE-14-36_en.htm
Italiano tratto da: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CJE-14-36_it.htm
Data documento: 19-03-2014
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EU law does not require that a mother who has had a baby through a surrogacy agreement should be entitled to maternity leave or its equivalent
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Il diritto dell’Unione non impone che una madre committente, che abbia avuto un figlio mediante un contratto di maternità surrogata, abbia diritto a un congedo di maternità o equivalente
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The Pregnant Workers Directive merely lays down certain minimum requirements in respect of protection, although the Member States are free to apply more favourable rules for the benefit of such mothers
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Poiché la direttiva sulle lavoratrici gestanti si limita a stabilire alcune prescrizioni minime in materia di protezione, gli Stati membri restano liberi di applicare norme più favorevoli alle madri committenti
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Ms D., who is employed in a hospital in the United Kingdom, and Ms Z., a teacher working in Ireland, both used surrogate mothers in order to have a child.
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La sig.ra D., impiegata in un ospedale nel Regno Unito, e la sig.ra Z., insegnante che lavora in Irlanda, si sono avvalse ciascuna di una madre surrogata per avere un figlio.
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Ms D. entered into a surrogacy agreement in accordance with UK law.
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La sig.ra D.ha stipulato un contratto di maternità surrogata ai sensi del diritto britannico.
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The child was conceived using her partner’s sperm and another woman’s egg.
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Il figlio è stato concepito con spermatozoi del suo compagno e l’ovocita di un’altra donna.
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Some months after the birth, a UK court, with the surrogate mother’s consent, granted Ms D. and her partner full and permanent parental responsibility for the child in accordance with UK legislation on surrogacy.
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Alcuni mesi dopo la nascita, un tribunale britannico ha conferito alla sig.ra D e al suo compagno, con il consenso della madre surrogata, la definitiva e piena potestà genitoriale sul bambino, conformemente alla normativa britannica sulla gestazione per conto terzi.
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Ms Z.has a rare condition which has the effect that, although she has healthy ovaries and is otherwise fertile, she has no uterus and therefore cannot support a pregnancy.
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La sig.ra Z.soffre di una rara patologia per effetto della quale, pur avendo ovaie sane ed essendo peraltro fertile, è priva di utero e quindi non è in grado di sostenere una gravidanza.
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Ms Z. and her husband had a child as a result of an agreement with a surrogate mother in California.
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Lei e il marito hanno avuto un figlio grazie a un contratto stipulato con una madre surrogata in California.
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Genetically, the child is the couple’s, and there is no reference to the surrogate mother’s identity on the child’s US birth certificate.
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Dal punto di vista genetico, il figlio proviene dalla coppia e sul suo certificato di nascita americano non vi è alcuna menzione dell’identità della madre surrogata.
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Under Californian law, Ms Z. and her husband are considered the baby’s parents.
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Conformemente al diritto californiano, la sig.ra Z. e suo marito sono considerati i genitori del bambino.
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Both women applied for paid leave equivalent to maternity leave or adoption leave.
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Le due donne hanno chiesto un congedo retribuito equivalente a un congedo di maternità o a un congedo di adozione.
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12 |
The applications were refused on the grounds that Ms D.and Ms Z.had never been pregnant and the children had not been adopted by the parents.
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Le loro richieste sono state respinte con la motivazione che esse non erano mai state incinte e che i bambini non erano stati adottati dai genitori.
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The national tribunals before which the two mothers brought actions have asked whether such a refusal is contrary to the Pregnant Workers Directive or whether it constitutes discrimination on grounds of sex or of disability (both types of discrimination being prohibited under the Equal Treatment Directive and Employment Equality Framework Directive respectively).
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I giudici nazionali ai quali si sono rivolte le due madri committenti chiedono se un simile rifiuto sia contrario alla direttiva sulle lavoratrici gestanti o se esso costituisca una discriminazione fondata sul sesso o sull’handicap (discriminazioni vietate, rispettivamente, dalla direttiva 2006/54/CE e dalla direttiva 2000/78/CE ).
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In its judgments delivered today, the Court of Justice replies that EU law does not provide for commissioning mothers to be entitled to paid leave equivalent to maternity leave or adoption leave.
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Nelle odierne sentenze, la Corte di giustizia dichiara che il diritto dell’Unione non riconosce alle madri committenti il diritto a un congedo retribuito equivalente a un congedo di maternità o di adozione.
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As regards the Pregnant Workers Directive, the Court points out that the objective of that directive is to encourage improvements in the safety and health at work of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or who are breastfeeding, such workers being considered a specific risk group.
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Per quanto riguarda la direttiva 92/85/CEE sulle lavoratrici gestanti, la Corte ricorda che il suo scopo è quello di promuovere il miglioramento della sicurezza e della salute sul lavoro delle lavoratrici gestanti, puerpere o in periodo di allattamento, considerate come un gruppo esposto a rischi specifici.
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In that directive, the provision relating to maternity leave expressly refers to confinement, and its purpose is to protect the mother in the especially vulnerable situation arising from her pregnancy.
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In questa direttiva, la disposizione sul congedo di maternità si riferisce espressamente al parto e ha l’obiettivo di proteggere la madre nella peculiare situazione di vulnerabilità derivante dalla sua gravidanza.
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The Court adds that although maternity leave is also intended to ensure that the special relationship between a woman and her child is protected, that objective concerns only the period after ‘pregnancy and childbirth’.
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La Corte aggiunge che, sebbene il congedo di maternità sia volto anche ad assicurare la protezione delle particolari relazioni tra la donna e il suo bambino, tale finalità riguarda tuttavia soltanto il periodo successivo «alla gravidanza e al parto».
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It follows from this that the grant of maternity leave pursuant to the directive presupposes that the worker concerned has been pregnant and has given birth to a child.
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Ne deriva che il riconoscimento di un congedo di maternità sulla base di tale direttiva presuppone che la lavoratrice interessata sia stata incinta e abbia partorito.
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Therefore, a commissioning mother who has used a surrogate mother in order to have a child does not fall within the scope of the directive, even in circumstances where she may breastfeed the baby following the birth or where she does breastfeed the baby.
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Pertanto, una madre committente che per avere un figlio si sia avvalsa di una madre surrogata non ricade nell’ambito di applicazione della direttiva, nemmeno quando dopo la nascita possa allattare al seno o di fatto allatti al seno il bambino.
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Consequently, Member States are not required, on the basis of the directive, to grant such a worker a right to maternity leave.
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Di conseguenza, gli Stati membri non sono tenuti, sulla base di detta direttiva, a riconoscere a una tale lavoratrice il diritto al congedo di maternità.
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Nevertheless, the Court adds that since the purpose of that directive is to establish certain minimum requirements in respect of the protection of pregnant workers, the Member States are free to apply more favourable rules for the benefit of commissioning mothers.
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Tuttavia, la Corte aggiunge che, poiché la direttiva persegue l’obiettivo di stabilire prescrizioni minime per proteggere le lavoratrici gestanti, gli Stati membri sono liberi di applicare alle madri committenti disposizioni più favorevoli.
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As regards the Equal Treatment Directive, the Court finds that a refusal to grant maternity leave to a commissioning mother does not constitute discrimination on grounds of sex, given that a commissioning father is not entitled to such leave either and that the refusal does not put female workers at a particular disadvantage compared with male workers.
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Quanto alla direttiva 2006/54/CE sulla parità di trattamento fra uomini e donne in materia di occupazione, la Corte dichiara che il rifiuto di riconoscere un congedo di maternità a una madre committente non costituisce una discriminazione fondata sul sesso, in quanto neppure un padre committente ha diritto a beneficiare di un tale congedo e il diniego non sfavorisce in modo particolare i lavoratori di sesso femminile rispetto ai lavoratori di sesso maschile.
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Furthermore, a refusal to grant paid leave equivalent to adoption leave to a commissioning mother is outside the scope of the Equal Treatment Directive.
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Peraltro, il diniego a una madre committente di un congedo retribuito equivalente a un congedo di adozione non rientra nell’ambito di applicazione della direttiva sulla parità di trattamento.
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That directive leaves the Member States free to choose whether or not to grant adoption leave.
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Questa lascia gli Stati membri liberi di accordare o meno un congedo di adozione.
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25 |
It merely provides that when such leave is granted, the workers concerned must be protected against dismissal and are entitled to return to their jobs or to equivalent posts.
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Essa si limita a prevedere che, qualora un siffatto congedo venga riconosciuto, le lavoratrici interessate debbano essere tutelate contro il licenziamento e abbiano il diritto di riprendere il loro impiego o un impiego equivalente.
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26 |
Lastly, as regards the Employment Equality Framework Directive which prohibits any discrimination on the ground of disability in employment and occupation, the Court considers that it cannot be disputed that a woman’s inability to bear her own child may be a source of great suffering for her.
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Infine, riguardo alla direttiva 2000/78/CE, che vieta qualsiasi discriminazione fondata sull’handicap in materia di occupazione e di lavoro, la Corte osserva che è innegabile che l’incapacità di procreare possa causare a una donna grande sofferenza.
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However, the concept of ‘disability’ within the meaning of that directive presupposes that the limitation from which the person suffers, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder that person’s full and effective participation in professional life on an equal basis with other workers.
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Tuttavia, la nozione di «handicap» ai sensi di tale direttiva presuppone che la limitazione di cui soffre la persona, in interazione con barriere di diversa natura, sia in grado di ostacolare la sua piena ed effettiva partecipazione alla vita professionale su base di uguaglianza con gli altri lavoratori.
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In principle, the inability to have a child by conventional means does not, in itself, prevent the commissioning mother from having access to, participating in or advancing in employment.
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Ebbene, l’incapacità di procreare naturalmente non costituisce di per sé, in via di principio, un impedimento per la madre committente ad accedere a un impiego, a svolgerlo o ad avere una promozione.
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That being the case, the Court finds that the inability to have a child does not constitute a ‘disability’ within the meaning of the Employment Equality Framework Directive and, therefore, that that directive is not applicable in a situation such as that at issue here.
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In tale contesto, la Corte dichiara che l’impossibilità di avere un figlio non costituisce un «handicap» ai sensi della direttiva 2000/78 che, di conseguenza, non è applicabile alla presente fattispecie.
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NOTE:
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IMPORTANTE:
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A reference for a preliminary ruling allows the courts and tribunals of the Member States, in disputes which have been brought before them, to refer questions to the Court of Justice about the interpretation of European Union law or the validity of a European Union act.
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Il rinvio pregiudiziale consente ai giudici degli Stati membri, nell'ambito di una controversia della quale sono investiti, di interpellare la Corte in merito all’interpretazione del diritto dell’Unione o alla validità di un atto dell’Unione.
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The Court of Justice does not decide the dispute itself.
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La Corte non risolve la controversia nazionale.
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It is for the national court or tribunal to dispose of the case in accordance with the Court’s decision, which is similarly binding on other national courts or tribunals before which a similar issue is raised. |
Spetta al giudice nazionale risolvere la causa conformemente alla decisione della Corte. Tale decisione vincola egualmente gli altri giudici nazionali ai quali venga sottoposto un problema simile. |
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LISTEN WITH READSPEAKER
••
EU law does not require that a mother who has had a baby through a
surrogacy agreement should be entitled to maternity leave or its equivalent
The Pregnant Workers Directive merely lays down certain minimum
requirements in respect of protection, although the Member States are free to
apply more favourable rules for the benefit of such mothers
Ms D., who is employed in a hospital in the United Kingdom, and Ms Z., a
teacher working in Ireland, both used surrogate mothers in order to have a
child.
Ms D. entered into a surrogacy agreement in accordance with UK law.
The child was conceived using her partner’s sperm and another woman’s egg.
Some months after the birth, a UK court, with the surrogate mother’s consent,
granted Ms D. and her partner full and permanent parental responsibility for the
child in accordance with UK legislation on surrogacy.
Ms Z.has a rare condition which has the effect that, although she has healthy
ovaries and is otherwise fertile, she has no uterus and therefore cannot support
a pregnancy.
Ms Z. and her husband had a child as a result of an agreement with a
surrogate mother in California.
Genetically, the child is the couple’s, and there is no reference to the
surrogate mother’s identity on the child’s US birth certificate.
Under Californian law, Ms Z. and her husband are considered the baby’s
parents.
Both women applied for paid leave equivalent to maternity leave or adoption
leave.
The applications were refused on the grounds that Ms D.and Ms Z.had never
been pregnant and the children had not been adopted by the parents.
The national tribunals before which the two mothers brought actions have
asked whether such a refusal is contrary to the Pregnant Workers Directive or
whether it constitutes discrimination on grounds of sex or of disability (both
types of discrimination being prohibited under the Equal Treatment Directive and
Employment Equality Framework Directive respectively).
In its judgments delivered today, the Court of Justice replies that EU law
does not provide for commissioning mothers to be entitled to paid leave
equivalent to maternity leave or adoption leave.
As regards the Pregnant Workers Directive, the Court points out that the
objective of that directive is to encourage improvements in the safety and
health at work of pregnant workers and workers who have recently given birth or
who are breastfeeding, such workers being considered a specific risk group.
In that directive, the provision relating to maternity leave expressly refers
to confinement, and its purpose is to protect the mother in the especially
vulnerable situation arising from her pregnancy.
The Court adds that although maternity leave is also intended to ensure that
the special relationship between a woman and her child is protected, that
objective concerns only the period after ‘pregnancy and childbirth’.
It follows from this that the grant of maternity leave pursuant to the
directive presupposes that the worker concerned has been pregnant and has given
birth to a child.
Therefore, a commissioning mother who has used a surrogate mother in order to
have a child does not fall within the scope of the directive, even in
circumstances where she may breastfeed the baby following the birth or where she
does breastfeed the baby.
Consequently, Member States are not required, on the basis of the directive,
to grant such a worker a right to maternity leave.
Nevertheless, the Court adds that since the purpose of that directive is to
establish certain minimum requirements in respect of the protection of pregnant
workers, the Member States are free to apply more favourable rules for the
benefit of commissioning mothers.
As regards the Equal Treatment Directive, the Court finds that a refusal to
grant maternity leave to a commissioning mother does not constitute
discrimination on grounds of sex, given that a commissioning father is not
entitled to such leave either and that the refusal does not put female workers
at a particular disadvantage compared with male workers.
Furthermore, a refusal to grant paid leave equivalent to adoption leave to a
commissioning mother is outside the scope of the Equal Treatment Directive.
That directive leaves the Member States free to choose whether or not to
grant adoption leave.
It merely provides that when such leave is granted, the workers concerned
must be protected against dismissal and are entitled to return to their jobs or
to equivalent posts.
Lastly, as regards the Employment Equality Framework Directive which
prohibits any discrimination on the ground of disability in employment and
occupation, the Court considers that it cannot be disputed that a woman’s
inability to bear her own child may be a source of great suffering for her.
However, the concept of ‘disability’ within the meaning of that directive
presupposes that the limitation from which the person suffers, in interaction
with various barriers, may hinder that person’s full and effective participation
in professional life on an equal basis with other workers.
In principle, the inability to have a child by conventional means does not,
in itself, prevent the commissioning mother from having access to, participating
in or advancing in employment.
That being the case, the Court finds that the inability to have a child does
not constitute a ‘disability’ within the meaning of the Employment Equality
Framework Directive and, therefore, that that directive is not applicable in a
situation such as that at issue here.
NOTE:
A reference for a preliminary ruling allows the courts and tribunals of the
Member States, in disputes which have been brought before them, to refer
questions to the Court of Justice about the interpretation of European Union law
or the validity of a European Union act.
The Court of Justice does not decide the dispute itself.
It is for the national court or tribunal to dispose of the case in accordance
with the Court’s decision, which is similarly binding on other national courts
or tribunals before which a similar issue is raised.
|