Brussels, 03/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - The member states need to step up their efforts to improve childcare provisions if the EU is to reach its 75% employment rate target by 2020, the European Commission stated on Monday 3 June. In a report, the Commission states that just eight countries (Belgium, Denmark, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom) have met both targets agreed at EU level for availability and accessibility of childcare services.
The “Barcelona targets”, agreed by EU leaders in 2002, say that childcare should be provided for 90% of children between three years old and the mandatory school age, and for 33% of children under three.
The figures for 2010 show that most EU countries have missed their own targets for childcare provision: only eight were able to meet the targets for both age categories (0-3 years and from three years to mandatory school age). The figures just published for 2011 show a drop in childcare services on offer for the second age group, which means that some of the countries which met the target in 2010 fell back below the target rate of 90% (Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands).
New study on the gender gap in pensions
The Commission has also published a study on the gender gap in pensions in Europe. The study reveals that the effects of lower employment rates among women extend into their retirement age: women receive average pensions which are 39% lower compared to those of men. A new indicator for gender equality, the gender pension gap, helps to assess the magnitude of gender inequality in the course of people's lives. The situation across the EU differs widely from one member state to the next. There is a considerable pension gap in a large number of member states: in 17, the gap is greater than or equal to 30%. The two widest gender pension gaps are found in Luxembourg (47%) and Germany (44%). At the other extreme, Estonia has the lowest gender pension gap (4%), followed by Slovakia (8%). (LC/transl.fl)