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Report Evolution On The Family in Europe 2009
Report Evolution On The Family in Europe 2009
Statements like this are a clear example of the increasing sensitivity and
concern of EU institutions, for the family. The socio – economic difficulties
and challenges, especially the economic and demographic ones of recent
decades are causing a rediscovery of the family, as well as the social
function it fulfils which are essential for individuals and for society.
But this is not enough. The problems of the European family have been
increasing in recent years, to the point of creating a desolate panorama.
Europe is plunged in an unprecedented demographic winter and has
become an elderly continent, with a large birth deficit, fewer marriages and
more of them broken, homes emptying.
2009 18/04)
In this context and in response to this situation we endorse the proposals
from the European Parliament: "The future EU strategy must recognize the
important role of family as a key social institution for the survival, protection
and development of the child”[2] and the proposal from the European
Commission to "encourage member countries to incorporate the family
dimension in their economic and social policies" [3].
Indeed, the family should benefit from the greatest protection possible in
order to facilitate effectively fulfilling its role. Hence, society, and also
particular public authorities, based on the conviction that the good of the
family is an essential and indispensable value of the civil community, need
to have the political disposition to protect the family with political measures,
economic measures, social measures, legal measures, etc. This will
thereby help to strengthen the unity and stability of families, enabling them
to fulfil their specific roles.
[2] Report "Towards an EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child" (A6-0520/2007). (P. 24)
[3] “Commission Opinion on The family and demographic change“ (SOC 245 - EESC 55/2007)
In view of this, the Institute for Family Policy (IPF) has prepared this in-
depth study on the evolution of the family in Europe, which it presents
annually in the European Parliament.
484,5
480,3 …growth has been slow…
475,5
Millions of inhabitants
70.000.000
64.105.125
61.612.255 Germany’s 82 million citizens make it the most
60.090.430
populated contry in the EU, accounting for 16.4% of
the European total. France follows with 64 million, the
50.000.000 United Kingdom has 61 million, and Italy 60 million.
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data
1.500.000
1.340.341
Estonia Cyprus
1.200.000 Luxembourg Malta
…while Malta with 412,614 has the
Number of inhabitants
smallest population in the EU. 900.000
801.622
…in particular, France (103 million) and Spain (9.4 million) constitute 45%
of the EU-27 population growth.
Immigration is the basis of population increase in the 27 countries…
…8 of every 10 new people were immigrants
1,846
1,846 1,612 78% of EU population growth
1,401
EU27 Increase trough Inmigration between 1999-2008 is the result of
2
Millions of inhabitants
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data
3
Spain has immigration 9 times greater
2 than its internal birth increase.
1
Poland, Romania and Bulgaria are
0 losing citizens by emigration.
a
I re d
E s ia
B u ia
P o en
ia
ry
G e ar ia
G r rg
kia
S lo l t a
Po l
ly
ai n
S w rk
Au s
y
e
Cy d
De nd
S lo ce
ia
hu c
um
m
mb a
ga
tv i
n
l an
an
nc
l an
pru
li
i
n
I ta
an
a
a
ou
t on
st r
do
low immigration.
ub
lla
ee
Ma
ed
la
-2
va
ve
Sp
ma
rt u
ng
nm
l gi
La
rm
F ra
lg
F in
i ng
Ho
ep
Be
Hu
Ro
Li t
hR
xe
dK
Lu
ec
ite
Cz
Un
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data
Only France, Holland, Finland and Slovakia have internal rates of increase
higher than their immigration figures.
The immigrant population has reached 29 million...
Nº Immigrants
…and it has nearly doubled (94%)
%
94
20.000.000
in the last 10 years (1999-2007).
14.900.541
15.000.000
The immigrant population has almost doubled in the
past 10 years, from 14.9 million in 1999 to nearly 29
million in 2007, representing growth of 94%. 10.000.000
1997 2007
% Immigration growth
has grown the most…
400%
Immigration has grown the most in Spain over the last 10 295%
years, from barely 538,900 in 1997 to over 4.6 million in 232%
2007: a growth of the 754% 200% 158%
18 , 4 %
In the past 15 years (1993-2008) we
17, 0 %
have lost 10.5 million young
17% people…
% Total Population
17, 3 %
16 , 4 %
There are now 22 million over- 80s, representing 4.4% of the EU population.
Of the EU-27, Bulgaria (13,4%) and Germany (13,7%) have the lowest
percentage of young people: only 1 in 8
13,9%
13,9% Bulgaria
13,80% Bulgaria (13,4%), Germany (13,7%), Latvia
Germany
13,70% (13,8%), Slovenia (13,9%) and Italy (14,1%) are
Lithuania
% of total population
13,0%
2008
22,5%
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data
Ireland France
20,6% Denmark Luxerbourg
… by contrast, Ireland has the
% of total population
20,0%
higher percentage of young in the 18,50% 18,40% 18,2%
UE-27: one in every five people.
17,5%
Besides Ireland (20,6%), France (18,5%), Denmark
(18,4%) and Luxembourg (18,2%) are the EU-27
countries with the highest percentage of young. In these 15,0%
countries, 1 in 5 people are under 14. 2008
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF)
drawn from EUROSTAT data
Italy and Germany are the countries with the largest elderly populations: 1
in 5 people is over 65.
21% Italy and Germany (20,1%), Greece (18,7%),
Italy Germany Sweden (17,5%) and Portugal (17,4%) are the EU-
20,1% 20,1% 27 countries with the largest elderly populations. In
Greece Sweden
% of total population
17%
2008
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data 14%
% of total population
12,50%
with the lowest proportion of elderly 12,00%
12%
is Ireland: 1 in almost 10.
Ireland (10,9%), Slovakia (12,0%), Cyprus (12,5%) and 10,9%
Poland (13,5%) are the EU-27 countries with the lowest
proportion of elderly. In these countries, 1 in 10 people are
10%
over 65 years.
2008
Source: Institute for Family
Policies (IPF) drawn from
EUROSTAT data
The birth deficit, and the increase in elderly, have caused the average EU-
27 citizen’s age to increase…
41
…it has reached 40.3
years…
40,3
The birth deficit, and the increase in
Average age of EU27 inhabitants
95
97
99
01
03
05
08
19
19
19
19
20
20
20
20
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data
33 35 37 39 41 43
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data
The pyramid of age / population is being inverted…
4 ,0 % -4 ,0 %
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data
… by 2050…
…will be catastrophic…
By 2050, the European population (EU27) will have fallen by 27.3 million
inhabitants...
499.389.380 In 2010 the EU27 population will begin to fall
500.000.000
from 499 million to 472 million in 2050
496.408.451
494.784.171 representing a decrease of 27.3 million
inhabitants.
Number of inhabitnats
Number of inhabitnats
…Germany will suffer the largest -4.500.000
-4.427.133 -4.208.825
fall in population. Germany
-6.500.000 Italy
The EU-27 countries with the largest falls in population
Poland
will be: Germany (7.5 million), Italy (7.3 -7.502.494 -7.308.135
million), Poland (4.4 million) and Romania (4.2 million) -8.500.000 Romania
,8 ,6 ,4 ,2 ,0
,0 ,2 ,4 ,6 ,8
There are 774.000 fewer babies born annually than 26 years ago...
In 2007 the figure barely reached
6.159.013 5.3 million births…
Birth rate (EU27) In 2008, 774.000 fewer babies were born in the
6.000.000
EU27 than in 1982, which represents a decrease of
5.936.592 5.822.462 12.5%.
Number of Births
2,1
2,1
The birth rate (1.38) is a very long
2,01
2,05 2,06
2,09 way off the level required for
1,91 2,03
population renewal (2.1) …
Birth Rate
1,87
1,8 In 2007 the EU27 birth rate was 1.38
1,8
children/female, which far below the Population
Renewal (2.1 children/femaile).
1,5
1,47
1,38
… and the USA birth rate (2.09)
EU-27
1,32 … and the USA birth rate (2.09) which is almost at
Renewal Level 1,28
United States (USA)
the level of population renewal.
1,2
1983 1987 1993 1997 2001 2007 … with a sligth increment due to
immigration
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data and national data In the period 1997-2007, and due to the explosion of
immigration (doubled), there has been a slight
increase of fertility rates of the EU27.
1,3 1,3
Slovakia (1,25), Romania (1,3), Poland (1,31),
Portugal (1,34) and Italy (1,35), etc, barely reach
1.3
1,25
1,25
…Slovakia has the lowest EU
birth rate (1.25)…
1,2
Portugal Poland . Romania Slovakia
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data 2,05
2,01 2007
2 1,98
...Others are recovering from the Ireland France
birth crisis… 1,95 Sweden Denmark
Birth Rate
Ireland (2,01), France (1,98), Sweden (1,88),
1,9 1,88
Denmark (1,84) and United Kingdom (1,84) shave
the highest birth rate among the 27 EU countries, 1,85 1,84
recovering from the birth crisis.
1,8
…Ireland has the highest EU birth
1,75
rate. .
Source: Institute for Family Policies
(IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data
People start families later in life: at almost 30 (UE25).
30
29,7
Average age at materninty has
29,3
increased by 2.6 years.
29 28,9
Age
28
27,6
Slovenia (4,26), Czech Republic (4,25) and
Hungary (4,06) are the EU 27 countries where
Age of mother at birth of first
child (EU25) age at maternity has increased the most over the
27,1
period (1980-2007).
27
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2003 2007
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data and national data
Italy (31.37) is the EU country where women have their first child later in
life.
At 31.37 on average, Italian women are, along with Spaniards (30.88) and Irish women (30.62), having their first child
latest among the 27 EU countries.
In Europe (EU-27) there is one abortion every 25 seconds…
1.800.000
…there are more than one million,
1.608.455 two hundred thousand abortions
a year…
In 2007 1.234.312 pregnancies were ended in
Nº of Abortions
1.353.769
1.400.000
1.232.789
1.234.312 abortion. Each day, 3.381 children are prevented from
being born in Europe (EU27): that is, there are 141
abortions every hour.
1.000.000
927.977 …Equal to the combined
867.377 899.623
populations of Luxembourg and
759.924
European Union 27 (EU27) Malta…
European Union 15 (EU15)
600.000 Each year in Europe, abortion figures are the
1995 2000 2005 2007 equivalent of the populations of Luxembourg and
Malta combined, or the entire population of Slovenia
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data and national data
or Cyprus.
1.234.312
…1 in every 5 pregnancies (19%) is (19% )
2007 5.238.924
(81% )
ended by abortion.
Of the 6.461.939 pregnancies in 2007 in the EU27,
1.223.015 were ended by abortion, equal 19% of Births
pregnancies.
Abortions
30.000.000
28.022.500 As many as the population of
25.561.135
Malta, Luxembourg, Cyprus,
25.000.000 Estonia, Slovenia, Latvia,
Acumulated number of abortions (EU27)
15.000.000
More than half have occurred in
11.834.803
Romania, France and the United
10.000.000
Kingdom.
5.000.000 Romania (7.087.840), France (3.740.496)
2.468.236 and United Kingdom (3.522.422) accounted
for 51% of abortions in the EU-27 since 1990.
0
1990 1995 2000 2005 2007
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data and national data
200.000
Italy Germany (116,871) and Spain (112,138)
150.246 have the highest annual abortion rates in the
150.000
126.562 EU.
100.000
Alone, those 6 countries account for 934,852
abortions: 75.7% of abortions in
50.000
the 27 EU member states.
0
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data and national data
Increment on abortion figures (1997-2007)
70.000
…Spain is the EU27 country with the 62.560 Spain
United Kingdom
60.000
greatest increase in the number of France
Holand
50.000
abortions…
Nº of Abortions
40.000
Whereas in many EU countries (usually those of the 2004
30.000 27.481
– 07 enlargement) the number of abortions fell during
1997 – 2007, the Spanish rise was spectacular, from 20.000
49,578 in 1997 to 112,138 in 2007 (i.e. 62,000).
10.000 7.939
5.917
The decline in Germany &
Italy, and the stagnation in France, is remarkable. 0
Rest of abortions
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn
2007
from EUROSTAT data and national data
60.000
United Kingdom
50.000 48.150
France
Nº of teenage abortions
40.000
31.779 Spain
highest EU teenage abortion rate.
30.000 Germany
2.368.951
…equivalent a 23,4% ...
2.300.000
Nº of Marriages
-44% Hungary Nº of Marriages (1990)
-40% Lat via
400.000 Nº of Marriages (2007)
-36% C yprus
-35% C zech R epublic
300.000
-34% Slovakia
-28% M alt a
200.000
-25% Lit huania
-19% Po land
100.000
-4%
R omania
-51% B ulgaria
0
-60% -50% -40% -30% -20% -10% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% Germ any UK France Italy Poland Spain
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn Source: Institute for Family Policies
from EUROSTAT data and national data (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data
and National data
Germany (368,000), United Kingdom (270,000) and France (266,000) are
the countries where there is a higher number of marriages …
4 0 0 .0 0 0
3 6 8 .3 2 9
2007
3 50 . 0 0 0
3 0 0 .0 0 0
2 70 . 0 0 3
Nº of Marriages
2 6 6 . 50 0 2 4 8 . 70 2
2 4 9 .8 4 7
2 50 . 0 0 0
2 0 3 .6 9 7
2 0 0 .0 0 0 18 9 .2 4 0
150 . 0 0 0
10 0 . 0 0 0
73 .6 2 7
57. 74 0 4 6 .3 2 9 4 0 .8 0 0 3 5.9 9 6
57.157 4 5.50 0 2 9 . 4 9 7 2 7. 4 3 7
50 . 0 0 0 3 6 .576 2 9 .6 4 0 2 7. 8 9 8 2 3 .0 6 5
2 2 . 54 4 7.0 2 2 1. 9 6 9
0
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data and national data
1.100.000
1.030.911
There are 358,000 more
981.992
divorces than in 1980...
Marital breakdown has increased by 357,994 in
27 years (1980-2007), an increase of 55%.
Number of divorces
900.000
805.136 815.532
877.538
...In spite of the fact that the
776.291 number of marriages entered
700.000
into has decreased over this
672.917 period.
Number of divorces (EU-27)
In 27 years (1980-2007), the number of
500.000
marriages in the EU27 decreased by 675,075
1980 1985 1990 1994 2000 2004 2007
marriages.
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data and national data
210.000
194.408
In the EU, family breakdown has increased by
187.000
165.555 170.050 far the most in Spain in the last ten years: more
Number of divorces
147.214
Germany
United 200.000
60.000
38.973 Kingdom 187.000
33.104 France
23.191
Spain
150.000 144.257
10.000 134.477
Number of divorces
1990 1995 2000 2007 125.721
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data and national data 100.000
been halved…
(ratio 5:1)
1,388,107
(ratio 2,4:1)
1.700.000 Nº Divorces EU-27
Nº Marriages EU-27 In 1980 the difference between marriages
1.400.000
entered into and marriages which broke
1.100.000
down was 2,421,716.
877.538 1.030.911
805.136 776.291 815.532 In 2007 the difference is only 1,388,000.
800.000
500.000
672.917 The ratio has gone from almost 5:1 in
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2007 1980 ( for every 4.6 marriages entered into,
one broke down)… to a ratio of 2:1 in 2007
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data and national data ( for every 2.3 marriages entered into, one
breaks down).
Belgium, Hungary and Spain are the EU27 countries with the highest
rate of marital breakdown: for every three marriages entered into, two
end in divorce…
400.000 1,0
Nº of Marriages (2007)
UE 27
0,66 0,7
0,620,62
250.000 0,57
0,56 0,55 0,55 0,6
0,54 0,54 0,53
0,51
0,49 0,49 0,48
200.000
0,45 0,44 0,44 0,44
0,5
0,43
0,38 0,4
150.000
0,28 0,27 0,3
0,22
100.000
0,19 0,19
0,16 0,2
50.000
0,1
0 0,0
m
lic
rg
kia
um
ia
ria
nia
nd
nia
y
ia
ia
ia
ark
ain
en
d
d
ce
us
ary
ly
ce
ga
an
lan
lan
lan
do
an
str
ton
ton
ou
Ita
ub
ee
lga
lla
ed
an
pr
va
ve
ma
lgi
rtu
nm
Sp
ng
rm
ing
hu
Fin
Ire
Po
Au
mb
ep
Cy
Gr
Ho
Sw
Fr
Slo
Le
Es
Slo
Be
Bu
Hu
Po
Ro
Ge
De
Lit
hR
dK
xe
Lu
ec
ite
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data and national data
Cz
Un
…and the divorce rate is above the EU27 average in 3 in 4 countries (75%).
At 43%, the unmarried population of Europe has almost equalled the
married (45%).
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data and national data
Married Europeans have declined from 230 million, or (48%) in 1995 to 215
million (45%) in 2007, divorced and unmarried have increased from 19.5 million
(4%) and 195 million (41%) in 1995 to 26.2 million (5%) and 204 million (43%) respectively, in
2007.
Fewer people are marrying for the first time…
…there are 2 million marriages…
3.094.093
2.966.412 8 in 10 marriages (79%) are for
3.000.000
the first time, while in 1980 was
2.865.662 86%
2.700.000 2.661.231
2.496.042
2.400.000 2.424.823 2.504.692 2.504.093 2.419.018 In 1980, 86% of those going to the altar in the
EU did so for the first time; in 2007 it was only
79%. Thus, 1 in 5 marriages is now a remarriage.
2.100.000 2.050.969
2.088.796
1.912.605
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data, UNECE and national data
within it.
22,1% There are more births
23% without marriage than within, in Estonia (59.1%),
Slovenia (54.7%), Sweden (54.6%), France (51.3%)
18,1%
and Bulgaria (51.1%).
18%
2.8
“lost” since 1980.
2.68
2.61 In barely 25 years (1980-2005), the average size of
households has decreased by “losing” 1.5 persons.
2.5
It has gone from almost 3 persons (2.82) to 2.4
2.4
2.4 members per household.
2.3
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 3,25 3,2 Malta
Source: In-house from EUROSTAT and European Environment Agency data
3,1 Cyprus
Romania
3 2,9 2,9 Spain
...And in some countries it
Nº Members household
Sweden
Finland
hardly reaches 2 members. 2,75
Denmark
Germany
Germany (2.1), Denmark (2.1), Finland (2.1), and 2,5
UE27: 2,4
Sweden (2.2) are the countries with the lowest
number of members per household.
2,25 2,2
By contrast, Malta (3.2), Cyprus (3.1), Romania 2,1
2,1 2,1
(2.9) and Spain (2.9) are the countries with the
2
highest number of members per household. Nº Members Household (2005)
. Source: In-house from EUROSTAT and
European Environment Agency data
European households are becoming more solitary...
...1 out of every 4 households in Europe has a single dweller…
Single
24,9%
14,8% Single with
27.7% of European
dependent children
Source: In-house drawn from EUROSTAT and European Environment Agency data
11
Aging society, with no children, empty homes, broken families and no values
Although there is growing awareness of the problems faced by families
and proposals to incorporate the family perspective in the EU…
The Charter of Fundamental Rights legitimises European Union involvement in the debate on family policies
(article 33) …
…”although it is clear that, for reasons of subsidiarity and efectiveness, the definition and implementation of family
policies is the competence of Member States”.
The Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee recommends that the European
Union…
…”encourage Membe States to include the family area in their economic and social polices”
(Opinion on “The family and demographic growtha” (SOC 245 – CESE 55/2007)
“The demographic revival requires the development of a climate in society open to family needs and
receptive to motherhood, and the creation of conditions for a better balance between work and family life.
In countries where it is difficult to reconcile work with family, female employment rates tend to be low, mothers often
leave the labour market and birth rates are lower because people feel they cannot cope with motherhood
Policies should promote gender reconciliation and equality, entail conditions for better
parenting and promote high – quality child care. Such proposals should become a priority’.
“Dealing with the effect of ageing on the population of the European Union” (COM 2009 18/04) (page 7)
This concern for the family should concretize in:
State Deparment for Department of children, schools Ministry of Labour, Family Ministry for Children and Department of Labour, Family
Family Policies and families and Social Affairs Family Affairs and Social Affairs
Belgium United Kingdom Slovenia Latvia Slovakia
2.1%
of GDP to family matters in 1996, to just 2.1% in 2006.
2.1%
2.0%
1.8%
1996 1998 2000 2003 2006
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data, UNECE and national data 8,3%
(1990-99 UE15, 2000-2004 UE25, 2005-06 UE27) 8,3%
8,3%
In some countries the proportion (of social % Gastos Familia UE sobre G.Sociales
...And barely € 1 per day per person Source: Institute for Family
Policies (IPF) drawn from
EUROSTAT data,
(439 € per person / year).
…and futhermore with huge differences between countries…
Poland sets aside just the 0.8% del GDP for the
family, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Malta the 1.1%, etc.
From the EU-15, Spain, Portugal and Italy, are the
countries that offer least assitance to families, setting
aside just 1.2% of the GDP, which is far below the
European average (2.1% GDP).
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data,
… this leads to significant “discrimination” in family matters.
Family social security benefits: value in Euros/person/year (2006)
Luxembourg
Denmark 1.353
2.158
The difference between
Sweden 933 countries are significant
Ireland 865
Finland 864
(from 23€ to 2,158€ euros)…
Austria 811
Germany 796
France 649
Whilst Luxembourg provides more than 2,100
Belgium 535 euros / person in family benefits each year,
Netherlands 451 and Denmark €1,300, Romania and Bulgaria
United Kingdom 449 spend around €25 per person per year.
Cyprus 317
Italy 248
Greece
Poland, Latvia, Slovakia and Lithuania
231
Slovenia 223
provide under €100 every year.
Spain 212
Hungary 192 Portugal and Spain, are the EU15 countries,
Portugal 151 which offer the lowest assistance to the family.
Czech Republic 136
Malta 124
Estonia 120
Lithuania 76
Slovakia
Latvia
74
63
…This is creating 1st & 2nd–
Poland 51 class countries.
Bulgaria 27
Romania 23
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from MISSOC data and national data
A family with three children, without income – related restrictions, would receive
833 euros / month in Luxembourg, 535 / month in Ireland, 510 / month in
Austria, 498 in Germany, etc.
The same family would receive 59 euros each month in Bulgaria, 44 / month in
Poland (with strict income – related restrictions in both cases), 43 in Latvia.
Source: Institute for
…than in Latvia, Poland or Spain. Family Policies (IPF)
drawn from MISSOC data
In 2008, child benefits were increased by 5.3% on average...
This was specially due to Bulgaria (nearly doubled),
Slovakia and the Czech Republic (which
increased theirs more than 25%).
100%
Bulgaria most increased benefits in the
Variation Benefits per Child % 2007-2008 First Child
EU, 94% for a first child and 75% for
80% Second Child
second one.
y
l
d
S l o ia
G re d
a in
F in a
m
G e a rk
S l o r ia
a
ia
P o ia
L i t h ia
Cy y
n ce
ry
e ce
s
go
R o li c
ga
Sw m
a
en
Ita l
lan
lan
lan
i
la n
ani
an
p ru
i
n
va k
to n
ve n
l g iu
v
Ma
s tr
nga
gdo
lga
b
ma
bur
r tu
Sp
Lat
nm
ed
F ra
Ir e
Po
pu
Ho
rm
u
Au
Es
Be
Bu
Kin
Hu
De
em
Re
-20%
Lux
i te d
e ch
Un
Cz
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from MISSOC data second one..
-40%
… Although there has been no increase in benefits for 1st and 2nd child in
one third of European countries (9) this year.
c) Balance between family and profesional life
The average duration of maternity leave is 25.3 weeks…
Although Sweden (75.7 weeks), Bulgaria
(58.6), United Kingdom (52) and Denmark
100 Licences in Europe: Weeks per born child (50) are the countries with the longest
Extra-licence maternity leave in the EU-27, and have an
Licence average of more than a year (59 weeks)…
80 … a two thirds majority (19 countries) failed to
meet the average amount of maternity leave.
flexibility…
40 Although 2 out of 3 countries (18 countries)
contemplate the extension of the license, only
few countries -8- permit significant extension
20 in special cases:large families, multiple
births,etc.
90%
l
l ta
n ia
d
d
ly
d
m
a rk
ia
a in
ia
r ia
m
kia
ia
ia
S l o li c
y
o
ar y
e
ce
s
ga
ia
en
l an
l an
l an
la n
an
c
ur g
Ita
p ru
to n
n
l g iu
do
an
to n
Ma
s tr
ub
l ga
n
ma
ee
r tu
va
Sp
nm
ed
ve
ng
F ra
rm
Ir e
Po
Ho
F in
i ng
hu
Cy
mb
Au
Es
ep
Le
Gr
Be
Sl o
Po
Bu
Sw
Ro
Hu
De
Ge
Lit
dK
hR
xe
Lu
i te
Cz
21%
20%
20% 19% 19% 2,8%
17%
16%
15%
15% 14% 14%
2,1%
12%
11%
10%
10% 1,4%
5% 0,7%
0% 0,0%
ly
ce
ria
m
y
e
en
nd
l
g
15
n
k
d
nd
m
ga
an
ec
ar
ur
Ita
ai
an
do
iu
an
st
la
EU
ed
la
rtu
Sp
bo
m
m
re
lg
nl
Au
Ire
ng
ol
Fr
Sw
en
er
G
Po
Be
m
Fi
H
Ki
D
xe
d
Lu
te
ni
U
Source: Institute for Family Policies (IPF) drawn from EUROSTAT data
The higher the level of family benefits, the lower the likelihood of child
poverty
Most countries make no provision for the problems of family conflict,
crisis or breakdown…
…in spite of the fact that the Council of Europe has been urging for this be
put in place for many years
• Study the possibility of using the media, particularly radio and television, to reinforce family
culture and education.
AIM:
1. By creating the Commission for the Family to promote the Family as a policy
priority in European Union countries, and to ensure that all European legislation considers
the Family as a social base with rights and roles that must be respected and promoted.
5. A council of ministers dealing with the family should meet once/year, as per the Report
of the European Parliament about protecting families and children.
II …which promotes a Family-oriented culture, disseminating a
universal concept of the Family and encouraging an environment
which favours it...
6. By re-establishing the Family Policy Observatory, with social involvement, to analyse the
situation and development of the Family in Europe and to advise on, manage and oversee
policy measures affecting it, and to ensure that public policy measures are drawn up to take
account of the Family.
• 2.5% GDP: In 5 years time, all countries are setting aside a minimum of 2.5% of GDP for
social spending on the family.
• Making assistance universal: In 5 years time, all countries are promoting universal
family assistance practices or at least, as the first step towards achieving this, are
establishing limits (per capita) which include 90% of families.
• 125€ /month: all member states should increase support for underage children to
125 € / month within 5 years
• Making benefits tax-exempt: Countries establish tax convergence objectives for tax
exemption on family benefits.
• Benefits linked to annual inflation rate: Countries put in place measures ensuring that
family benefits increase in line with inflation.
III …which assist families in the management of their day-to-day
existence, helping parents to have the children they want......
• Reducing by 50% the VAT payable on a series of essential infant products (baby
hygiene items such as nappies, soap, moisturising creams, wet wipes, feeding products
such as formula milk, containers and feeding bottles, cereal and food preparations and
baby furniture items such as cots, chairs and prams, baby carriers, car seats etc.).
• Setting up Care Centres for Pregnant Women to help for all mothers, married or
single, with their pregnancies, with particular attention for immigrant mothers.
• Specific support programme for pregnant teens to confront the particular pro
blems pregnancy can cause these particularly defenceless groups in society.
III …which assist families in the management of their day-to-day
existence, helping parents to have the children they want......
10. By urging governments to adopt a more equal distribution of benefits aimed at the
Family – currently accounting for 8% of total social benefits – gradually increasing their
amount.
13. Urge that member states and regional & local authorities define and implemente
housing policies that particularly consider families
• 50% cut in individual taxes (judicial document taxes, tax on family inheritances,
council taxes, etc.) for all families, and exemption for large families.
• Specific housing policy for young families and those with children.
• Special tax discounts for families which rent, especially for large families or
those with dependent relatives
16. By insisting on universal assistance for families caring for elderly relatives in their
home.
• Carrying out studies, analyses and surveys to discover the causes of family
breakdown and introducing measures whose aim is to reduce and/or alleviate
their negative consequences.
VI …Which recognise the right of parents to educate their children...
• Making the education costs met by families (text books, schools etc.) income tax-
deductible.
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