Strasbourg, 15/03/2007 (Agence Europe) - In Strasbourg on 13 March, MEPs questioned the Commission and the Council over measures to put in place childcare facilities, in line with the targets set by heads of state and government in Barcelona in 2002, when EU leaders confirmed their will to pursue the objective set in Lisbon on achieving full employment by 2010. In their conclusions, they called on member states to remove any obstacles preventing women from entering the labour market and, in line with their national systems, to put in place care facilities for at least 90% of children aged between three and the age of compulsory schooling, and for at least 33% of children under the age of three by 2010. How do things stand today?
The first to be questioned, German Federal Economy and Technology Minister Michael Glos, said that the German presidency's programme on social policy had the slogan, “the democratic model is based on equal opportunities. … If we want equality of employment opportunities, we have to put in place the right conditions and proper childcare facilities”. The situation in most member states is far from rosy, a fact backed up by the joint report on employment 2006-2007, which states that there has been slow development of care facilities for children in the EU (see EUROPE 9369). On 8-9 March, the European Spring summit endorsed the creation of the European Alliance for Families (see EUROPE 9384), and this issue would be considered at the Employment/Social Policies Council in Brussels on 30 May, Mr Glos said. He felt that it was essential that “family and working conditions which make children's lives, and the framework conditions for young parents, more pleasant” were created. “The economy has to be involved too: children are our future. Child support strategies must be part of the enterprise culture. The wellbeing of our children must be a priority,” he added. The development of a child who has a place in a quality care centre will be enhanced through his/her contact with other children and parents, Mr Glos said.
Equal Opportunities Commissioner Vladimir Spidla was on the same wavelength as the German minister. He, too, stressed the need for care facilities to be available to all children. This was, he said, the only way to remove the obstacles to equal opportunities in employment. He said the Commission was ready to use Structural Funds to raise the Barcelona targets. He felt it was vital to put in place policies that were more family-oriented. Therefore, there had to be care facilities which allowed a better work-life balance. Consideration should also be given to leave entitlements, developing innovative and adaptable work patterns and care services for school-age children. In 2008, the Commission, Mr Spidla said, would publish a communication on childcare which would make concrete proposals to increase the availability, quality and affordability of childcare.
During the debate, Marie Panayaotopoulos-Cassiotou (EPP, Greece) said she was disappointed with the patchy results from the Barcelona summit. The lack of childcare facilities was an obstacle to economic and social integration, to equal participation of men, and women in the labour market and, therefore, to family life, she said. The chairman of the EP employment committee Jan Andersson (PES, Sweden) stressed the importance of children for the family. He said that a strategy had to be pursued that reconciled family and professional lives to allow women to continue to look after their children. “The father and the mother must be able to look after their children. The first five years of a child's life are decisive for adult life,” said Hannu Takkula (ALDE, Finland), calling for concrete action. Marcin Libicki (UEN, Poland) felt that the situation in Europe would improve when children's interests were taken into account. Eva-Britt Svensson (GUE/NGL, Sweden) stressed children's rights and the importance of childcare. In similar fashion to Michael Glos, Ms Svensson said it was very important for children to have contact with other children, meet other parents and begin to learn. These were essential for equal opportunities, economic growth and for the children themselves, she said. It was important for a woman to be able to have a career while, at the same time, playing her role in the development of her children, said Kathy Sinnott (IND/DEM, Ireland). Irena Belohorska (non attached, Slovakia) believed that account should be taken of the children of the most deprived groups in society, so there had to be childcare facilities where the costs were not prohibitive. “Five member states - Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands and Sweden - have met the Barcelona targets. What have the others been doing? What are the reasons for their failure to meet the Barcelona targets?” asked Edith Bauer (EPP-ED, Slovakia). She wanted good quality, reasonably priced childcare facilities put in place. She said this would make the European market more competitive and would be good for equal opportunities. Markos Matsakis (ALDE, Cyprus) felt that, alongside the “normal” measures, such as, for example, allowing greater flexibility for parental leave, there had to be “innovative measures - like parenting classes or advice services for parents - to help make them better parents”. To meet the demographic challenge in the EU, Pier Antonio Panzeri (PES, Italy) argued for “a more clear-sighted and ambitious vision of the targets to be achieved”. Finally, Edite Estrella (PES, Portugal) called for “member states to set up appropriate service networks which are accessible at times that suit” so that women too can pursue a career. “The EU needs more women on the labour market. We await Mr Spidla's document in 2008 with impatience,” she added.
Summing up what he called an “open” debate, Michael Glos noted the broad consensus on the Barcelona targets set a few years ago, and remarked that there remained little time to achieve them before 2010. “The idea of a European Alliance for Families, presented by the German presidency allowed the relaunch of the debate on the various aspects of equal opportunities, work-life balance, demographic change, children's training and education, increasing the number of women in the working population, and all within the context of flexicurity,” he said. “It is impossible to speak about equal opportunities between men and women and birth rate, without there being appropriate care facilities: it is the only way to reverse the population decline in Europe,” added Mr Spidla. Information in this area was not always comparable between member states. It was difficult to establish the real situation. That was why the Commission was preparing a joint list of criteria, which would be ready by the end of this year, he said in conclusion.
Launch of Socialist campaign “Putting Children First”
In Strasbourg, on the day after the EP debate, the Party of European Socialists (PES) launched its “Putting Children First” campaign, to put in place more childcare facilities in the EU. This campaign will run throughout 2007 and will include debates with member parties, and involving trade unions and NGOs on how to expand and improve pre-school childcare. In a press release, Socialist MEPs also welcomed the commitment of the Council and the Commission to do all in their power to improve pre-school childcare facilities. The leader of the Socialist group, Martin Schulz, noted that this campaign had been “launched by the Party of European Socialists” and was supported personally by candidate for the French presidency Ségolène Royal. Ms Royal has promised that, if elected, she will set up a public childcare service for children aged two plus. In Portugal, José Socrates has said that he would increase the number of childcare places by 50% over the next three years. PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen said that childcare was a basic need for the 21st century family. (gb)