12/12/2007: On the occasion of the closing of the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All, the Intergroup Family and Protection of Childhood met today to discuss the actions undertaken in order to improve the living conditions of large families and eliminate the discriminations that affect them. The meeting was preceded by a discussion between Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou, Chairwoman of the Intergroup, Mr Ribeiro e Castro, Vice-Chairman, and the European Large Families Confederation with Commissioner Špidla. The discussion focused on various topics of interest to families and in particular on the necessity to find a balance between the requirements of globalisation and the requirements linked to the protection of fundamental social rights.
The meeting of the Intergroup which gathered the participation of MEPs, representatives of the European Commission, the European Large Families Confederation as well as researchers on family policies, underlined that because of their minority position in society, large families are often not taken into account within national and European family policies and therefore do not receive the support they are entitled to, considering their invaluable role for the preservation of intergenerational solidarity and social cohesion.
A recent study presented by the representative of the French National Institute of Statistics (INSEE) demonstrated that children of large families have fewer professional and social opportunities given that their access to higher studies can be compromised because of the financial difficulties of their parents. The representative of the Family Institute of Baden Wurtemberg in Germany added that the great majority of large families in this country come from a working class environment and that women in large families do not usually have a professional activity. Consequently, these families and their children are particularly vulnerable to poverty and social exclusion.
The European Large Families Confederation recalled that European demographic policies always focus on the participation in the labour market instead of focusing on the effective support to the family. Thus, the informal provision of care to children and dependant persons within the family is not recognised at retirement and social protection levels whereas this activity is paid when it is done by third parties. ELFAC also underlined that professional stereotypes and social pressure influence the decision of couples to have a greater number of children at a time when the sustainability of the European economy depends on the increase of the birth rates. Finally, ELFAC reiterated the call of a coalition of family NGOs to the European Commission in favour of a reduced VAT rate for products of necessity for children, estimating that such a measure could help improve significantly the daily lives of large families.
Participants were pleased with Commissioner Špidla's commitment which was expressed by his representative, to promote, in conformity with the principle of subsidiarity, policies creating the necessary social conditions for the achievement of real family desires respectful of every person's free choice. In this respect they welcomed the Commission proposal to evaluate in 2008 the availability and quality of childcare services as well as the necessity to revise the provisions relating to the protection of maternity and parental leave. They also approved the Commissioner's proposal to promote actions within the European Family Alliance and encouraged him to launch proposals in this field.
At the end of the meeting, Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou expressed the wish that future actions be coordinated in order to eliminate discriminations which still prevent Europeans from having their desired number of children.
The meeting of the Intergroup which gathered the participation of MEPs, representatives of the European Commission, the European Large Families Confederation as well as researchers on family policies, underlined that because of their minority position in society, large families are often not taken into account within national and European family policies and therefore do not receive the support they are entitled to, considering their invaluable role for the preservation of intergenerational solidarity and social cohesion.
A recent study presented by the representative of the French National Institute of Statistics (INSEE) demonstrated that children of large families have fewer professional and social opportunities given that their access to higher studies can be compromised because of the financial difficulties of their parents. The representative of the Family Institute of Baden Wurtemberg in Germany added that the great majority of large families in this country come from a working class environment and that women in large families do not usually have a professional activity. Consequently, these families and their children are particularly vulnerable to poverty and social exclusion.
The European Large Families Confederation recalled that European demographic policies always focus on the participation in the labour market instead of focusing on the effective support to the family. Thus, the informal provision of care to children and dependant persons within the family is not recognised at retirement and social protection levels whereas this activity is paid when it is done by third parties. ELFAC also underlined that professional stereotypes and social pressure influence the decision of couples to have a greater number of children at a time when the sustainability of the European economy depends on the increase of the birth rates. Finally, ELFAC reiterated the call of a coalition of family NGOs to the European Commission in favour of a reduced VAT rate for products of necessity for children, estimating that such a measure could help improve significantly the daily lives of large families.
Participants were pleased with Commissioner Špidla's commitment which was expressed by his representative, to promote, in conformity with the principle of subsidiarity, policies creating the necessary social conditions for the achievement of real family desires respectful of every person's free choice. In this respect they welcomed the Commission proposal to evaluate in 2008 the availability and quality of childcare services as well as the necessity to revise the provisions relating to the protection of maternity and parental leave. They also approved the Commissioner's proposal to promote actions within the European Family Alliance and encouraged him to launch proposals in this field.
At the end of the meeting, Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou expressed the wish that future actions be coordinated in order to eliminate discriminations which still prevent Europeans from having their desired number of children.
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