European Union – Employment. The Court of Justice of the European Union gave a preliminary ruling, deciding that the provisions of Council Directive (EC) 96/34 and Directive (EC) 2006/54 had to be interpreted as precluding national provisions under which a civil servant was not entitled to parental leave in a situation where his wife did not work or exercise any profession, unless it was considered that due to a serious illness or injury the wife was unable to meet the needs related to the upbringing of the child.