European Care Strategy: Member States Must Act Now!
The Federation of European Social Employers and the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) release a new joint statement, urging EU Member States to take action now to implement the European Care Strategy.
The European Commission published its European Care Strategy in September 2022. The accompanying Council recommendations on Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) and on Long Term Care (LTC) have now been adopted by the 27 Member States.
The growing need for high-quality, affordable and accessible social services and related challenges mean there is an urgent need to act.
The Social Employers and EPSU support the principles included in the EU Care Strategy and call on EU Member States to:
- Provide adequate and sustainable funding.
- Establish coordination mechanisms.
- Ensure universal access to affordable social services.
- Tackle staff shortages by ensuring quality jobs and good working conditions for professional carers through social dialogue and collective bargaining.
- Cooperate with social partners to improve the attractiveness of the sector.
- Involve social partners in the design and implementation of digital solutions.
Social dialogue and collective bargaining are key to ensure ensure decent wages, good working conditions and to improve occupational safety and health. The establishment of an EU-level Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for Social Services by the European Commission, as requested by EPSU and the Social Employers, will help.
The joint statement was drafted in the framework of the FORESEE project (co-funded by DG Employment) and presented during the final conference.
The Joint stament is available in 10 different languages here:
Note to Editors
The Federation of European Social Employers represents employers in the social services sector at European level and has, according to Eurofound, the most significant employer’s representativeness in the private sector part of social services. The Federation’s objectives are to strengthen the position of employers in social services at European and national level, establish common positions between members, and negotiate with European Trade Union Associations, representing workers in social services.
The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) brings together trade unions from across Europe and represents over 8 million public service workers. It is the most representative European trade union organisation in the social services sector. EPSU works hard to deliver better working conditions, improved health and safety and enhanced rights for its members. By sitting down with employers at European level, we negotiate best practice agreements that improve the working lives of public service workers and ensure quality services for citizens.
For more information contact:
Tamara Gomez-Sanchez
Project & Communications Officer
Tamara.gomez-sanchez@socialemployers.eu