Editorial
Dear Readers,
We’ve decided to wish you a new year 2017 by launching our new “bubble” website. It aims to present to you in a user-friendly way the wide range of areas we monitor closely for Europe’s families. Please do send feedback to our comms department to help us make it as useful as possible. Our communications manager Ana Perez is on a career-break to discover new horizons and she is currently replaced by Paul Nolan (journalist and communications professional) until mid-April - Paul’s webstatistics so far reveal users from most EU countries as well as other continents. We indeed do our best to link European and global agendas through our work with the UN Economic and Social Council, with a brief written statement published this month on the contribution of EU legislation and policies to address poverty in Europe.
Our core mission is to strengthen the family dimension of the European Social Agenda, with a focus on different areas of action with our members including the following: encouraging Members of European Parliament to keep key Work-Life Balance references in their reports; contributing to discussions on the potential of a European Child Guarantee; monitoring the developments of the future European Pillar of Social Rights; training Managing Authorities of the European Social Fund on the transition from institutional to community-based settings in social services.
But our mission is also to address wider policy and legislative agendas which have an impact on social policy (such as finance, health, consumerism, digitalisation, migration, and more) which is why we launched a series of policy briefs on the impact of digitalisation on families, which contain information collected at our #DigitalFamiliesEU conference last year in Berlin. Be sure to join the discussions started online and futureproof your work with families. We might not know exactly what will happen in 10 years’ time, but what is clear is that we will be living in digital societies. Let’s help each other prepare for the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Best (New Year) wishes to you all,
Liz Gosme
Director
COFACE Families Europe
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New website – new logo - feedback welcome!
We are extremely happy to announce that we have a new logo and a brand new website! The change reflects our network’s willingness to meet the ever-evolving needs of our members, partners and the wider public. Come and see what you think...
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Join the discussions started at our Berlin conference on Digital Families – use and disseminate our policy briefs on digitalisation!
You missed our conference? You’re curious to hear some of the ideas raised during the discussions last November? Take a look at our policy briefs on different aspects of digitalisation, do spread them widely... Read more
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55th Session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development - COFACE contributes to the debate on strategies to eradicate poverty
In preparation of the 55th Session of the UN Commssion for Social Development on 10th February 2017, which will focus on “strategies for the eradication of poverty to achieve sustainable development for all”, COFACE Families Europe has published a Written Statement: "Strategies for the eradication of poverty to achieve sustainable development for all: A European reality-check from COFACE Families Europe"... Read more
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COFACE responds to European Parliament call for a European Child Guarantee
On 11th January, COFACE Families Europe spoke at a conference organised by the Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament on “Winning the Fight Against Child Poverty: Implementation of a European Child Guarantee”... Read more
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COFACE Families Europe represented the European Expert Group on Deinstitutionalisation at a training in Cyprus
On 27 January, the European Commission and the Cypriot Authorities organised a seminar on deinstitutionalisation in Nicosia. Magdi Birtha, Policy and Advocacy Officer of COFACE Families Europe has represented the European Expert Group on the Transition from Institutional to Community-based care (EEG)... Read more
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COFACE builds bridges with European Social Fund authorities
As part of its work in the European Expert Group on the Transition from Institutional to Community-based Care (EEG), COFACE Families Europe helped organise a training on deinstitutionalization (DI) for theEuropean Social Fund Thematic Network on Social Inclusion in the premises of the European Commission on 12 January 2017... Read more
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Belgium - Gezinsbond takes position on European Pillar of Social Rights
The Gezinsbond (League of Families in Flanders) has examined from a family perspective each of the 20 principles in the European Commission's Pillar of Social Rights proposal. What do these principles mean for families in Flanders? What is the impact of such a measure on the daily life of parents and children?... Read more
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Germany - AGF: Caregivers returning to the workforce must have access to full-time employment
Returning to full time employment after a period of part-time work to look after children can prove difficult, if not impossible, says the Association of German Family Organisations (AGF). Women, it says, are most affected, facing discrimination from employers. AGF states that employers must give priority to employees who seek to return to full-time employment rather than hire external candidates,... Read more
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Spain - UNAF Spain considers extension of paternity leave to four weeks "insufficient"
The Union of Family Associations (UNAF) in Spain calls for equal maternity and paternity leaves which are non-transferable, to ensure there is no discrimination of women on the labour market... Read more
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Safer Internet Day : “Be the change”
On the 7th of February, the world will be celebrating the 2017 edition of the Safer Internet Day under the theme “Be the change: unite for a better Internet”. The event, piloted by the Better Internet for Kids Network, the Insafe Network and the Inhope Network, will serve as a landmark to stress the importance of creating a safer and better environment for children online... Read more
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High-level conference: European Commission prepares next steps towards European Pillar of Social Rights
COFACE Families Europe took part in a high level conference on the European Pillar of Social Rights on 23rd January in Brussels, COFACE and its members also submitted responses to the consultation, and published key recommendations on both the architecture and content of the future Pillar... Read more
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EU call for proposals: Fast track integration into the labour market for third country nationals targeting exclusively asylum seekers, refugees and their family members
The call for proposals aims at funding innovative transnational projects to test and implement innovative policy schemes and delivery mechanisms that will ensure and facilitate a swift labour market integration of the specific target groups of third country nationals listed below. Proposals could also include the replication of successful innovative initiatives already implemented in other(s) country(ies)... Read more
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The Academy of European Law organizes a seminar on EU Disability Law and the UNCRPD – register now!
In Trier on 27-28th March 2017, the Academy of European Law (ERA) is organising a seminar for legal practitioners, members of NGOs and equality bodies with a legal background, law academics on EU Disability law and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). The aim of this seminar is to provide participants with the necessary knowledge and legal tools to use the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) combined with the relevant EU law in their daily practice.
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2016 Review of Employment and Social Developments in Europe highlights more employment, less poverty and a changing world of work
The latest annual review of Employment and Social Developments in Europe (ESDE) shows encouraging results. Around 3 million jobs have been created and employment has risen, pushing back poverty. However, unemployment remains high, with huge disparities across Member States... Read more
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MEPs must fully honour their work-life balance pledges in the European Pillar of Social Rights
On 19 January 2017, the European Parliament were called on to vote on the report 2016/2095(INI) “European Pillar of Social Rights”. This report touched upon a number of very relevant themes for people in Europe, including their chances to better reconcile work, family, care and personal life. COFACE Families Europe participated in a joint call to stop amendments watering down its position... Read more
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NGOs express concern over proposal to water down the European Accessibility Act
The European Disability Forum (EDF), AGE Platform Europe and ANEC have written an open letter expressing concern over the European Parliament’s draft report of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO Committee) on the European Accessibility Act (2015/0278(COD)) published on 6 January 2017... Read more
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