Barcelona targets : where do we stand?

Main findings of the European Commission report

Muriel Bissières, Gender Equality Unit, DG Justice

29 April 2013, Dublin

 

Barcelona targets : where do we stand?

1. Context / why achieving the Barcelona targets?

2. State of play

3. EU action to support the achievement of the Barcelona targets

1 Context

• 2002 European council in Barcelona Provide childcare for 33% of children up to 3 and 90% of children from 3 to compulsory school age by 2010

• European pact for gender equality 2011-2020 renewed commitment

Why achieving the Barcelona targets?

To reach EU2020 goals•Employment

•Poverty

•School drop out

To reach gender equality

Relation between the employment rates of women 20-49 with youngest child below 6 years old and share of

children in formal childcare (2010)

Source: EU-SILC and Labour Force Survey

Source: OECD Family Database 2012; OECD Database on Earnings Distribution.

Relation between the gender pay gap and share of children in formal childcare (2008)

2 State of Play

Proportion of children up to 3 years cared for by formal arrangements 2010

Proportion of children from 3 years to mandatory school age cared for by formal arrangements 2010

Around one quarter of women working part-time or inactive due to care responsibilities (15-64 y) declare they can’t work more because of unsuitable childcare facilities

Barriers preventing parents from using childcare services

Figure refers to EU-27 (without DK and SE) women 15-64 not working or working part-time for reasons linked with childcare.

Source: EU-LFS 2010 AHM

Components of net childcare costs in 2008 for dual-earner couple family

Source: OECD (2011), Doing Better for Families, Figure 4.A2.1 A.Notes: *Where the partner earns the average wage and the female partner earns 50% of the average wage.

0

20

40

60

80

% fo

rmal

car

e us

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hou

seho

lds

with

a ch

ild y

oung

er th

an 3

yea

rs o

f age

FR CH NL

BE

UK LU IE FI PT

EU

-27

NO ES

MT

BG CY IT HU LT RO

HR EL

PL

LV DE

CZ

AT

SK

EE SI

IS DK

SE

5th income quintile (richest)3rd income quintile1st income quintile (poorest)

Note: Countries sorted by the size of the difference between the 5th and 1st quintileSource: EU-SILC 2010

Formal care use by income quintiles, households with a child <3 year, 2010

Working conditions in the sector remain fragile

• Many unqualified people are still working in the area

• In most countries high turnover because of part-time or atypical hours is common

• The sector is characterized by a predominantly female workforce

Parents need to combine different solutions

0

20

40

60

NL

GR PT

RO

CY SI

CH

CZ

AT

LU GB PL

EE IS SK

MT IT IE

EU

-27

HR

HU

FR ES

BE

DE LV LT NO FI SE

DK

BG

Less than 3 years

0

20

40

60

SI

RO NL

CH

GR CZ

HR

GB

CY LU AT

PT IT SK

EE PL

BE

MT

EU

-27 IE FR H

U LT DE IS ES LV SE FI NO

DK

BG

3 years to minimum compulsory school age

Source: Eurostat, ilc_caindother, date of extraction: November 28, 2012

% o

f chi

ldre

n in

info

rmal

chi

ldca

re, 2

010

From 1 to 29 hours 30 hours or over

% of children in informal care 2010

3 EU Support

Reconciliation between work and private life, a global approach :

♀ ♂

LEGISLATION•Revised parental leave directive•Maternity leave directive•Working time directive

FUNDS•Use of the Structural Funds to develop childcare facilities

SOFT LAW•Member States' performances on childcare / monitoring the Barcelona targets.

•Country-specific recommendations on work-life balance policies

OTHER ACTIONS •Study on the role of men, out-of school care services, elderly care•Production of statistical report on reconciling work and private life•Exchange of good practices on flexible working time arrangements and on childcare

OTHER ACTIONS •European quality framework for ECEC•Evaluation of legislation, policy and practice on child participation

• Thank you !