Brussels, 02/02/2009 (Agence Europe) - At the invitation of the Czech Presidency of the European Union, ministers responsible for family policy will meet informally in Prague on Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 February to discuss the Barcelona Objectives on childcare and educational provision, to be achieved by 2012. Czech Labour and Social Affairs Minister Petr Necas will chair the meeting at which the European Commission will be represented by Vladimir Spidla. The Czech Presidency wants to highlight the qualitative aspects of early childcare, to stress the best interests of the child and to incorporate these aspects in relevant policies.
Immediately after the informal ministerial meeting, on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 February, the Czech Presidnecy will hold a conference on Parental Childcare and Employment Policy. Taking part, in addition to Petr Necas and Vladimir Spidla, will be leading political and academic figures, including Italian Minister for Equal Opportunities Mara Carfagna, French Secretary of State responsible for family affairs Nadine Morano, Paul Kirchhof from Heidelberg University in Germany, Spiridon Paraskewopoulos from the University of Leipzig and Lubomír Mlèoch from the Charles University in Prague.
In December 2007, EU employmnet and social affairs ministers, meeting under the Portuguese Presidency of the EU, expressed the wish that the Barcelona Objectives be better implemented, particularly those on childcare, the aim being to find a better work-life balance (see EUROPE 9556).
In October 2008, the European Commission adopted, as part of the “family package”, the report on childcare services in member states. This report identified the obstacles and problems that affect the development of pre-school-age children (see EUROPE 9751). The Commission also proposed a package of measures to better reconcile work and personal life. Among these was a report on the availability of childcare facilities in the EU and the situation in each member state (see EUROPE 9754). This report revealed, inter alia, that most member states are failing to reach the targets - that caring services should be available for 90% of children from the age of 3 until school age and 33% of children under 3 - set by the European summit in Barcelona in 2002. These objectives form part of the EU strategy for growth and jobs to help young parents, especially mothers, to work. (G.B./transl.rt)