15/05/2020 (Agence Europe) – On the International Day of Families, Friday 15 May, Caritas Europa is calling on the EU to establish the Child Guarantee as a priority. This instrument, which the European Parliament has been calling for for a long time (see EUROPE 11437/13), would help combat poverty affecting the most vulnerable children (precarious families, migrant and refugee families, disabled people and individuals living in institutions), i.e. around 23 million children in 2018. Caritas Europa believes that this number will increase significantly as a result of the pandemic. The organisation therefore believes that the Commission should establish a Child Guarantee as a matter of urgency. The guarantee is mentioned in the mission letter sent to Nicolas Schmit, the Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, but does not currently seem to be included in the European Commission's work programme for 2020. (PH)