Brussels, 07/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - The Fédération des particuliers employeurs de France (FEPEM) initiated the European Federation for Family Employment (EFFE) on Wednesday 8 February. The event comes one year to the day after the FEPEM seminar on how to turn the demographic challenge into an opportunity for quality employment in Europe (see EUROPE 10312). It was attended by Laszlo Andor, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion.
The demographic challenge is to be raised by all EU member states and deserves a cross-cutting political response as part of the EUROPE 2020 strategy, FEPEM states in a press release, before going on to add that, as the public authorities in France and in the rest of Europe cannot find suitable solutions on their own, the role of families takes on an increasing importance. It is in such a context that family employment develops (childminding, assistance to dependent persons, home maintenance) to meet economic, social and societal challenges. Given the fact that demand is expected to rise by nearly 25% by 2020, the family employment sector has a particularly strong growth capacity, and constitutes a major reservoir of jobs for the European economy - the creation of 20 million quality jobs in this sector is a fully realistic prospect.
On the basis of the principles of free choice of lifestyle, support and caring activity, respect of private homes and citizens' society responsibility, the EFFE will pursue three aims with a view to the: - exchange and promotion of best practice throughout Europe; - coordination of common projects in favour of structuring, professionalism and training in the sector in Europe; - and contact and exchange between all stakeholders: national and European public authorities, civil society, social partners, and the research sector. (LC/transl.jl)