26/10/2006: The Intergroup on Family and Protection of Childhood met today in The purpose of the meeting was to highlight the socio-economic difficulties faced by lone parent families, which represented in 2001 4.3 million families in the EU-15, as well as to address the potential impact of lone parenthood on the Commission's management of the demographic problem, the conciliation of family and professional life and the labour market.
During his intervention, the Commissioner indicated that the Commission would publish by the end of the year a study on lone parent families which would pay particular attention to the fact that 90% of lone parent families are headed by women. Mr Spidla explained that existing statistics on the extent of lone parenthood are not always a reflection of the reality since on the one hand, there are differing views as to the definition of lone parent families, and on the other hand, the data that has been collected does not cover all the aspects of this family situation. Although sometimes some lone parent families can take advantage of their situation to obtain fiscal, social and other types of advantages, the fact remains that these families are particularly vulnerable to social exclusion and poverty - it is estimated that one out of four lone parent families is poor according to EU criteria. The Commissioner underlined that support for lone parents could not exclusively rely on economic benefits but depended also on broader measures which would deal with the fact that lone parents' poverty is not only economic but also social, cultural and educational.
Mr Spidla pointed out that the Commission, while abiding by its neutral approach to family policies, would study closely the situation of lone parent families and present the Member States' best practices in this field with the purpose of proposing further measures relating both to the integration of these families within society and the labour market as well as to the well-being of children.
During the debate, MEPs and NGO representatives highlighted in particular the problems of exclusion and social integration of these families and their children. Most of them expressed their disappointment with the fact that the Commission does not indicate how to prevent and resolve the phenomenon of lone parent families but merely monitors its development.
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INTERGROUPE FAMILLE ET PROTECTION DE L'ENFANCE
INTERGROUP ON FAMILY AND PROTECTION OF CHILDHOOD
Président: Marie PANAYOTOPOULOS-CASSIOTOU (GR,PPE)
Vice-Présidents: José RIBEIRO E CASTRO (P, PPE), Nathalie GRIESBECK (F, ALDE), Kathy SINNOTT (IE, IND), Sylwester CHRUSZCZ (PL, IND), Konrad SZYMANSKI (PL, UEN)
MINUTES
OF THE
MEETING OF THE INTERGROUP
ON FAMILY AND PROTECTION OF CHILDHOOD
"The Situation of Lone Parent Families in the EU"
Wednesday 25 October
14.30-15.30
Room SDM S3
1. Participants 1
1. Intervention of Mrs Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou, President of the Intergroupe Family and Protection of Childhood 2
2. Intervention of M. Vladimir Spidla, Commissioner of Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities 2
3. Debate 4
1. Participants
MEP:
Roberta ANGELILLI (UEN), Edit BAUER(PPE), Maciej GIERTYCH (IND/DEM), Nathalie GRIEBECK (ALDE), Siiri, OVIIR (ALDE), Marie PANAYOTOPOULOS-CASSIOTOU (PPE), Patrizia TOIA (ALDE), Jose RIBEIRO E CASTRO (PPE), Kathy SINNOTT (IND/DEM),
PLEASE INFORM US IF YOU ATTENDED THE MEETING BUT YOUR NAME DOES NOT APPEAR IN THE ABOVE LIST
Assistants:
Timea BAKAOVA ( Stagiaire Edit Bauer), Boglarka BENKO ( Assistant Zita Gurmai), Martina ENGEL OTTO (Ass. Dr Chatzimarkakis), Pekka ESKOLA (Assistant Jaatteenmaki), Jerôme FEDELICH (Ass. Nathalie Griesbeck), Zuzana HECKOVA ( Ass. Irena Belohorska), Elzbieta LUTOMSKA (Ass. Urszula Krupa), Fabio MAGRONE ( Assistant Angelilli), Anije MEYER ( Stagiaire Koch-Mehrin), Philip SYDENKAN (Stagiaire Kathy Sinnott), Kristina STARAZ ( Ass. Edit Bauer), S.REUTZEL ( Assistant Anja Weisgerber), Annamaria TOTH ( Assistant Laszlo Surjan), Tobias TEUSCHER ( Ass. Anna Zaborska), Tanja WASSERER (Assistant Kusstatscher),
Others:
Maria Paola de Angelis ( fonctionnaire UEN), David FIELDSEND ( Care for Europe), GEORGTEVA Marianna ( Stagiaire- DG1-Conseil de l'Europe), KAPRALIKOVA (Secrétariat NI), H.J KEUR (Groupe IND/DEM), M. Maggiore (ALDE Press Officer), Christopher POND (One Parent Families UK), Daniel RIVAUD ( Comité Protestant Evangélique pour la dignité Humaine), Jenny SCHULER ( FAFCE), Philippe STECK ( Caisse Nationale des Allocations Familiales Française), Kristian TAKAC ( DG Emploi et Affaires Sociales, Commission Européenne)
1. Intervention of Mrs Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou, President of the Intergroupe Family and Protection of Childhood
- There are major differences in the situation of Lone parent families from country to country
- The situation is not stable and should not be considered as a "type of family" but only as a temporary situation
-This situation does not only concern the legal aspects but also the quality of life of these parents and their contribution to society
Mrs Panayotopoulos indicated that some of the Organisations that usually participate in the meetings of the Intergroup were unable to attend and therefore had transmitted their views in writing.
2. Intervention of Mr. Vladimir Spidla, EU Commissioner of Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities
The Commissioner pointed out that lone parent families are more and more present in the EU: they represent one family with children out of ten.
The vast majority of these families are headed by women who are often left alone after the break-up of their couple. These families, together with large families, often experience the risk of poverty and social exclusion.
It is important to fight poverty and social exclusion which hits lone parents because this can have long term effects, including a negative impact on the education of the children. The future of children is threatened when their chances for social integration are undermined by poverty and poor education.
Lone mothers often face multiple difficulties in terms of employment, high unemployment rates or shorter career paths. They often hold underpaid jobs. It is also difficult for these families to have access and remain in the labour market partly because child-care facilities are not sufficiently available or that the levels of child benefits are too low in the national systems of social protection.
A greater participation of women in the labour market as well as an improved access to higher quality jobs is essential in order to reduce the number of poor people. Conciliation of family and professional life should also be promoted through the development of childcare facilities or care for dependent persons. Such measures would enable women to have access to the labour market by relieving them from their family responsibilities.
The National Action Plans for social inclusion which are being presented by member States since 2001 within the context of the open coordination method, have confirmed that living in a poor family, in particular with three or more children or in a lone parent family constitutes in many member States, one of the main risk factors for poverty and social exclusion.
Given the importance of the issue of lone parent families, the Commission launched in 2005, within the framework of the community programme against poverty and social exclusion, a study on poverty and social exclusion of lone parent families.
The aim of this study which is currently being finalised is to:
-analyse the reasons these families are more threatened by poverty as well as the obstacles they face in terms of access to employment
-consider how the member States have tried to solve the problem. Particular attention is paid to problems that single mothers are faced with.
The Commission on its side has implemented a series of measures:
-The integration of the gender dimension in the integrated guidelines for growth and employment as well as in the new open method of coordination for inclusion and social protection.
-In addition, the Commission will be presenting a communication on the wage gap between women and men in 2007.
The Commission's Communication on Demography which was adopted on the 12th of October, should also contribute to the reduction of the difficulties that these families face. It aims to enable European citizens to fully achieve their family projects through the establishment of better family conditions such as the reconciliation of family and professional life.
On the same day, the Commission launched a consultation process with the social partners on the reconciliation of professional and private life: this is an essential condition to improve the situation of lone parent families. It also invites member States to take all the necessary measures to respect the commitments made in Barcelona to increase, by 2010, the offer of childcare which should be made available for at least 90% of children between 3 and 6 years of age and 33% of children below the age of 3.
The EU will support member States' efforts through the structural funds and the exchange of good practices. In addition, following its Communication on Demography, the Commission will organize in Brussels, on the 30th & 31st of October the first European forum on Demography. This Forum will enable to address the demographic challenges and promote the exchange of good practices in this field, in particular family policies and measures for the reconciliation of family and professional life.
The family remains a core value for European citizens even though the reality of families has become much more complex and diversified. Single parent families are a particularly visible example of this trend. The policy carried out by the EU should enable European citizens to have their desired number of children while at the same time guaranteeing social inclusion and equal opportunities for women and men.
Bearing this in mind, we need to recall the need to fight against the intergenerational transmission of poverty, among others, by intervening as early as possible in the lives of disadvantaged children. Indeed, we need to promote targeted measures for families with low income which would enable them to have a decent life and benefit from social services necessary for their full inclusion in society, as well as support for the child's development.
Finally, the Commission will be publishing by the end of the year the results of a study on lone parent families. On that basis it will be organising at the beginning of 2007 a Conference to which of course the E.P. will be invited.
3. Debate
Measures to supports lone parent families
M. Christopher Pond: One Parent Families, UK:
This association was created in 1918. It provides help and advice to lone parents and most importantly helps lone parents integrate the labour market. To this effect it has established partnerships with some major undertakings, such as Marks&Spencer and other retail employers.
Perhaps a quarter or a third of the next generation of Europe's children will spend part of their childhood in a lone parent family. We need to take the necessary measures to ensure that this future generation of European citizens will have the best chance in life.
The statistics (those for the new member States are very unreliable) reveal that there are 5 million lone parent families throughout the EU15 and another 4 million in the new member States. The phenomenon has great proportions.
It is very important to help lone parents into employment in order to avoid poverty and social exclusion.
In the U.K. we have had considerable success in helping lone parents into work. We have seen an increase from about 45% to 56% in employment but this is still well below the EU15 average. It is important to provide decent wages, the child care facilities and a conciliation of family and professional life.
Philippe Steck: Director of International Relations, Caisse Nationale des Allocations Familiales (France)
Demographic forecasts show that in the near future lone parent families will represent one family out of four.
The country in the world with the greatest number of single parent families is Brazil. South America is following close behind Japan and Australia. It is a world phenomenon, but there is some diversity: in Europe the percentage of single parent families is higher in the U.K., in Norway etc. There are also great differences as far as the risk of poverty of single parent families is concerned. In Luxemburg it is 10 times above the average, France 4 times, Germany 8.
There is a problem of reliability of statistical data. We don't always have the same definitions of lone parent families. There is a big difference between Ireland and Sweden for example.
As far as action is concerned:
Regarding benefits in France: 14% of families receiving benefits are lone parent families. Financial support has its limits and therefore France is carrying out actions to increase employment, access to housing etc. Support for these families cannot be limited to financial perspective but needs to be combined with measures of social integration.
This problem of lone parent families is extremely important given that there are two major issues as far as family policy are concerned:
-What is the respective share of monetary benefits, services etc. as far as public services are concerned: should we think just about money, should we enlarge services and facilities?
-The neutrality of social policies as far as families are concerned: we have to look at "classic" family needs but we also have to think about other problems: for example if we think of one parent families in France we think of affirmative action. But if we are fighting against poverty and promiscuity in Europe should we be looking at individual groups or family groups? We have to stay very neutral as far as our policies are concerned
Nathalie Griesbeck: Vice President of the Intergroup Family and Protection of Childhood
We see that there is a large number of lone parent families in all the member States. This is a social phenomenon which keeps increasing.
The E.U. should be reflecting on this issue and find ways to enable these families to develop. Most particularly we should think of the children and their environment.
According to Mrs Griesbeck, the first response should not come from the E.U. but from the member States who should be searching for solutions in terms of employment and infrastructures of care for young and older children. The E.U can now profit from a certain experience in Member States who are more advanced, not only because they have large numbers of single parent families, but have also done more in this field. It is very important to exchange and share experiences.
Multiple Aspects of Poverty
Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou: President of the Intergroup Family and Protection of Childhood
The poverty that affects these families is not just material: there are many lone parent families which are not poor but this does not mean that they do not have problems.
Poverty can take the form of not being able to offer anything to society. The question is to be a part of society and do something for it: the younger generations who were raised in one parent families have to be able to enter society, to participate in society, just like members of "full" families.
Measures against family desertion
M. Maciej Giertych: MEP for Poland
M. Giertych expressed his surprise when reading the 2004.Eurostat Statistics. Eurostat defined the working lone parent as a person who "normally works at least 1 hour per week". When a person is a lone parent, that person tends to work at least 18 hours a day and not 1 hour a week. Therefore, the Eurostat document is completely inappropriate.
The problem is that in statistical documents, no distinction is made between the lone parent families where the other parent is dead and lone parent families where the other parent is absent as a role model and is not assuming his responsibilities.
A lot in this meeting is mentioned about poverty. One of the main reasons of this poverty is the non contribution of the absent parent who is alive.
Rather than giving financial aid for lone parents to enable them to access employment etc. efforts must be made, to oblige the absent parent to contribute to the upbringing of the children: the State has to make sure that the single parent gets the other party's contribution. It should draw the money from the non paying parent, using whatever force it has. The State should also be penalising the non contributing parent for the effort it has to make to get their contribution.
Measures should also be taken to render it difficult for parents to abandon their children.
Efficiency of measures for the family which are not neutral
Mme Bauer: MEP
Mr. Spidla mentioned more targeted measures. According to the study that is being prepared do you have any experience on the effectiveness of measures which are not neutral to families?
In the former regime we had some protective measures which led to so-called "pretended divorces": to be a lone parent was sometimes very effective, for example for housing possibilities.
In Slovakia, a big discussion resulted in the establishment of a State fund for lone parent families. The contribution which should be paid by the absent parent for his children would be paid by the State. The reason why a big part of parliamentarians rejected such a solution was that it would diminish the responsibility of parents to provide for their children.
Mrs Bauer asked the Commissioner what his experience was under the open method of coordination.
European Observatory for family and family policies
One italian MEP:
It is very important to study this phenomenon. We have to understand the different situations that exist. Single parent families are living under different circumstances if they live in a large city or in the countryside.
In the city the situation of lone parent families is more complicated because living costs are higher; it is also more difficult for them to reach organised services. One has to look into these different situations.
In the E.U. we had an Observatory for Families which existed until 2004 in the Commission. It was closed in 2004, date of the International Year of the Family.
In view of the current situation, it might be very important to reopen this Observatory which will enable us to gather useful statistical information.
In Europe it seems that we are afraid to talk about family policies: one talks about social services, the elderly, the young, but we don't talk about the family. We shouldn't have this fear. What is the opinion of the Commissioner on this issue?
Reply:
Commissioner Spidla:
Lone parenthood is increasingly becoming a world reality. Nothing can be done to prevent the spreading of this type of families. One should address not only the situation of lone parents but also the reasons which lead some parents to lone parenthood.
Lone parenthood is not just a question of money: single parent families don't face exclusively material poverty but other forms of poverty as well.
The Commissioner referred to his own personal experience when he was a single parent for 2 years. The problems he faced where not material but social and psychological.
Mr. Spidla explained that single parents are isolated from society. They suffer from poor contacts and cultural poverty.
We need to study the reasons why there are more and more single parent families and why parents are abandoning their children. These people have to take up their responsibilities.
Finally, according to the Commissioner, in many cases, weather it is the woman or the man who is the single parent, it is very hard to get any support from the parent who has left. There is a major responsibility, but in practice the family is depleted. Therefore these families need first social support and then eventually the adoption of measures obliging the parent who has left to take up his financial responsibilities.
More measures are needed for the conciliation of family and professional life. Working life improves the social situation from all the perspectives. But conciliation requires childcare facilities, an intervention of social partners etc.
As far as the definition of lone parents is concerned, there are still discrepancies. The Swedish definition for example is completely opposite to the Greek one. It is therefore impossible to compare the existing figures. Some form of interpretation and clarification of statistics would be very important. This should be dealt with too.
The Eurostat 2004 figures are indeed inappropriate because it is clear that lone parents certainly work for more than 1 hour per week. One should understand this definition as meaning one hour of work outside the family. . The ILO definition might not be a bad one, but it has certain flaws to it as well. Finding a way to define statistics would help improve data quality.
The study which is currently being prepared will give a clearer picture of the situation. At the moment it is hard to be more specific, given the fact that the study is not yet finished. The results will be available by the end of the year.
Child poverty is a new element of the Commission's policy: the Commission has decided that in 2007, child poverty would be the focus of a series of activities that will also address lone parent families.
About the fear of the E.U. to express a position on family policies it can be explained by the fact that family policies are a matter of national competence. It is a very sensitive area, not just sociologically, but because it implicates traditions and value systems.
However, European society is not that different. The phenomenon of lone parent families exists everywhere and is increasing in all Member States.
With a great deal of caution certain steps can be taken towards a consistent policy in Europe and certainly discussions on policies and good practices in each Member State can begin..
The demographic initiative has come up with a flexible framework: the forum on demography will allow us every couple of years to deal with these very sensible questions.
L'initiative sur la démographie a mis en place une structure flexible: le forum sur la démographie qui permettra tous les deux ans de discuter de questions très sensibles.
Daniel Rivaud: Protestant Committee for Human Dignity
The Committee is surprised that the measures put forward are not questioning the causes for the situation of lone parenthood. They are simply stating what is happening.
We are reaffirming that the family is a primary value in Europe but on the other side we are simply confirming the elements that contribute to a breakdown of social cohesion. We have to mention that 75% of the delinquents in France come from single parent families.
The real question is how are we going to get out of this phenomenon? How can we put an end to it and how can we question what people have called social progress when it is in fact disastrous?
Jenny Schuler: Federation of the Associations of Catholic Families in the Councli of Europe
Poverty is not just material. Poverty is also in Education and Culture.
There is emotional and individuality poverty: in cases of shared custody, it is difficult for a teenager to identify when both parents have started new relationships. The relations with step-parents can be very difficult. This situation is increased when there is a disabled child within the family or when the family lives in a geographically remote area in terms of social services.
Martina Engel-Otto: Consultant to MEP Jorgo Chatzimarkakis
In Germany we have experienced a lot of abuse: people often declare themselves to be single parents in order to get bigger family allowances, while in reality they live with someone else.
The rate of single parent families is rising in Germany, where the conciliation of family and professional life for a single parent is harder than in cases where children are being looked after by 2 partners.
Are there any statistics on "fake" single parent families?
Kathy Sinnott: Vice President of the Intergroup on Family and Protection of childhood
For many women, the solution to their problem is to find work and this should be supported. Many women would make that choice, but hesitate, because their children need them more than ever since they have lost their father to separation, divorce, death, abandonment etc.
The only answer society has for getting out of poverty is work. In cases of emotionally vulnerable families, if the mother chooses to stay at home and look after her children, she needs to be given that option.
In the Irish constitution it is mentioned that a mother should never be forced out of the home for financial reasons. She can go to work out of her own free will, but she must never be forced. That element of the constitution has never been implemented and yet it exists.
Commissioner Spidla:
We have to look at the underlying reasons for lone parent families: the ability to live in society is reducing. This can be very hazardous and we have to be looking towards societal cohesion.
In the European Union and in the Member States the main problem is how to come up with a family policy that is neutral: it is impossible to impose a family type if a society is not consistent.
For the time being the policy is not neutral and therefore we have abuse, which means that certain people are trying to profit from it.
In some cases parents have to be able to stay at home and receive public money for that: those are special cases. The general preference in society is to go to work. Work has always been considered ethically good. This is very often well reasoned and we have to examine how to deal with special cases and to support the possibility of giving them a choice.
It is very hard to know the amount of abuse that is taking place since the figures are not open.
For example, similar is the case of undeclared work: a study on certain EU Member States shows that the amount of undeclared labour can vary between 20 - 60%.
The methodology used for these studies is very crucial to trace down "hidden phenomenas".
Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou: President of the Intergroup Family and Protection of Childhood
The President hopes that the co-operation between Commissioner Spidla and Commissioner Frattini, within the framework of the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child, will lead to a full and proper protection of society through families and children. This should include the idea of legal protection as well as work, studies etc.
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