THE BARCELONA CHILDCARE TARGETS

In March 2002, the Barcelona European Council acknowledged the importance of childcare in terms of growth and equal opportunities calling on Member States to 'remove disincentives to female labour force participation and strive, taking into account the demand for childcare facilities and in line with national patterns of provision, to provide childcare by 2010 to at least 90% of children between 3 years old and the mandatory school age and at least 33% of children under 3 years of age'.

The two quantitative targets mentioned above have since been known as the 'Barcelona targets' for childcare provision, their aim being to lift barriers and disincentives for female labour market participation and to encourage full employment.

In March 2006, the European Council reiterated its commitment to the attainment of the Barcelona targets in the European Pact for Gender Equality. This was also reflected in the European Commission's Roadmap for equality between women and men 2006-2010 and subsequent opinion of the Committee of the Regions drafted by socialist Rapporteur Claudette ABELA BALDACCHINO. Our Maltese comrade calls for better and more childcare facilities that are affordable and accessible to all, urging EU Member States to work closely with their local and regional authorities towards this goal.

Five years after setting the Barcelona targets, results are still disappointing: only 5 Member States meet the EU target of child care for 33% of children aged 0-3 (Belgium, Finland, France, Sweden and Denmark), and only 8 the 90% target (Belgium, Finland, France, Sweden, Denmark, Italy, Germany and Spain). At the other end of the spectrum, Greece, Ireland, Lithuania and Poland present the lowest coverage of pre-school childcare.

It is worth noting that only in Finland, Sweden and Denmark early childcare provision is enshrined as a social right. This means that when the child reaches a certain age, parents have a guaranteed place in the state childcare system.

Divergences in the development of childcare services across the EU are partly due to historical and cultural differences in the perception of adequate childcare for very young children, with some countries privileging home care for babies and toddlers. The bottom line is of course that public investments in childcare provision vary dramatically from one Member State to the next.