Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-03-10-Speech-2-496"
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"en.20090310.36.2-496"2
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Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the Commission welcomes the opportunity, a few days after International Women’s Day on 8 March, to make a declaration before the European Parliament on childcare facilities for pre-school age children. These facilities are essential for promoting gender equality and for helping to achieve a work-life balance, but also for ensuring quality of life for children. At a meeting of the European Council in Barcelona in 2002, the Member States adopted ambitious aims which were to be fulfilled by 2010. In line with the undertaking which the Commission accepted before the European Parliament in 2007, a report on the implementation of the Barcelona objectives was presented in October 2008. In the report, the Commission spoke about why it is important to invest more in childcare facilities.
The Commission noted mainly that the Barcelona objectives are aimed at eliminating obstacles to accessing the labour market, especially for women. More than 6 million women in the EU (aged from 25 to 49) say that they are unable to work or can work only part-time because of family obligations. The European economy is thereby deprived of significant productive potential, and this at a time when it must confront serious economic and demographic challenges, and when the social position of families is thereby weakened. The development of childcare facilities for pre-school age children will enable families to decide freely how to organise their time and how to achieve a better work-life balance. The aim is not to ‘force’ parents to send their children to these facilities. The aim is to offer this option to parents who want it. The development of childcare services will also contribute to the prevention of poverty, especially for single-parent families, more than a third of whom face the threat of poverty.
In connection with the demographic slowdown which Europe is going through, access to childcare facilities will also assist in the implementation of family planning. It turns out that the Member States with the highest birth rates are precisely those which have introduced the most highly-developed policies on the work-life balance and which record the highest levels of employment of women. Childcare facilities also contribute to children’s development, of course. Numerous studies, especially those carried out by the OECD and UNICEF, have shown that these services play a significant role in the personal development of children, provided that they are of a high quality and children are entrusted to them for adequate periods of time. Childcare services can also have a positive influence on educational results and future professional life.
The Commission states in its report that despite all of the aforementioned good reasons, most Member States are far from achieving the objectives set out in 2002. A lot of work remains to be done, especially concerning children under three years old. Furthermore, there are some facilities operating only for part of the working day, which restricts parents’ access to the labour market. The Commission recognises, however, that significant progress has been achieved in many Member States. The undertakings adopted by Member States at a European level and the appeals expressed by the European Parliament in a series of resolutions have played an important role in this regard. It is therefore necessary for all of the participants, especially the national and regional bodies, to come together and create progressive, financially accessible and high-quality childcare facilities for pre-school age children.
In the Plan for Achieving Gender Equality, the European Commission undertook to support the efforts being made by Member States in this area. It encourages the Member States to make full use of the possibilities offered by the structural funds. With the aim of assisting local organisations to introduce measures in this area, the Commission has adopted an information brochure in addition to last year’s one on the possibilities for financing family support measures. The Commission will continue to support the exchange of proven approaches and will regularly monitor the Barcelona objectives within the framework of the strategy for growth and employment. It will also evaluate family policies, especially policies on the work-life balance, in which it will rely mainly on cooperation with the OECD. Last but not least, the Commission will support adherence to European childcare objectives within the framework of the strategy for growth and employment after 2010.
Some people may be questioning the wisdom of investing in childcare facilities at a time of crisis. Nevertheless, numerous studies have shown that where such services are not available, everyone pays the price. It is therefore important to act today in order to ensure access to childcare facilities and in order to support employment and to promote equality, social inclusion and the interests of children."@en1
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