Judgment of the Court (Sixth Chamber) of 1 August 2025 – European Commission v Ireland (Directive on work-life balance)

(Case C-69/24)  (1)

(Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations - Article 258 TFEU - Work-life balance for parents and carers - Directive (EU) 2019/1158 - Article 20(1) - Failure to transpose and notify transposition measures - Article 260(3) TFEU - Application for the imposition of a lump sum - Criteria for establishing the amount of the penalty)

(C/2025/5183)

Language of the case: English

Parties

Applicant: European Commission (represented by: J. Norris and E. Schmidt, acting as Agents)

Defendant: Ireland (represented by: M. Browne, Chief State Solicitor, S. Finnegan and A. Joyce, acting as Agents, and by C. Toland, Senior Counsel, and S. Brittain Barrister-at-Law)

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1.

Declares that, by failing, on expiry of the period laid down in the reasoned opinion of the European Commission, to adopt the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with Directive (EU) 2019/1158 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on work-life balance for parents and carers and repealing Council Directive 2010/18/EU and, therefore, by failing to notify them to the Commission, Ireland has failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 20(1) of Directive 2019/1158;

2.	Orders Ireland to pay to the European Commission a lump sum in the amount of EUR 1 540 000;

3.	Orders Ireland to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Commission.

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(1)  OJ C, C/2024/2143.