18/02/2009 Parliament expressed its support for the Commission Communication "Towards an EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child" and called on the Commission to take specific measures. The need to take concrete measures in order to answer to the needs of children and families is a position that the EP has defended on two notable occasions, through its resolution on "promoting social inclusion and combating poverty, including child poverty, in the EU" and its decision establishing 2010 as the European Year for combating poverty and social exclusion.

In this context, Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou MEP (EPP-ED, Greece), Chairwoman of the Intergroup on 'Family and Protection of Childhood', asked the European Commission what is the recent state of play in this field and what other matters of crucial importance to children the Commission will promote in the near future.

The representative of the European Commission, Vice-President Jacques Barrot, gave the following answer to Mrs Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou: "The Commission Communication proposes the establishment of a Strategy aiming at efficiently promoting the rights of the child in the framework of the EU internal and external policies, supporting the efforts made by the Member States in this field (...) [ and finally] launching a consultation before the presentation of a European Strategy for the period 2010-2014. This consultation is ongoing: (...) in the fields of Justice, Liberty and Security prior to the Stockholm programme, the European forum for the rights of the child, the experts' reunion and the consultation of children to be launched in 2009. The new Strategy on the rights of the child will particularly be focused on the new priorities identifies by the EP resolution. Since the adoption of its Communication the Commission has committed itself to taken concrete measures such as legislative measures, measures of police and judicial cooperation, measures of cooperation between Member States, exchange of good practices, in view of combating any violation of children's rights. To this end, a Forum was created (...) [in order to] advice and support the Commission and other European Institutions, (...) to exchange information and good practices in matters related to the rights of the child (...) to promote the children's point of view on policies and matters which are of an interest to them. The conditions of such participation are to be determined. The Forum held on the 9th of December 2008 mainly dealt with the theme of violence and of the participation and consultation of children.

Regarding children's poverty, national action plans for social inclusion 2008-2010 have confirmed that poverty and social exclusion of children constitute more than never a concern to the great majority of Member States, but also an essential element in the framework of the Open Method of Coordination on poverty and social exclusion. Progress has been made in the field of the analysis and the statistical treatment of these questions; nevertheless, it is hard to find the necessary efforts and political engagement without which it will be very difficult to have a decisive influence on the phenomenon of poverty and social exclusion of children. (...) In this respect, the Commission wishes to reinforce the process of definition of reasonable objectives but also the establishment of monitoring and evaluation tools both at European and National level. It also considers a better way to coordinate the European process in the field of the rights of the child, but also the social inclusion process and the encouragement of the improvement of synergies at a National level between the establishment of reports on the UN Convention on the rights of the Child and the development of national action plans for social inclusion".

"In this context of generalised financial crisis which influences the daily lives of families, what matters is the rapid execution of preventive measures in order to control an unexpected extension of the multidimensional phenomenon of child poverty, and notably in the regions affected by unemployment", commented Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou.

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2010 - 2014: NEW EUROPEAN STRATEGY ON THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN'S RIGHTS

13/02/2009: The EU establishes a strategy for the protection of the rights of children on its territory, through its internal and external policies. In that respect, MEP Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou MEP (EPP-ED,GR), Chairwoman of the Intergroup on 'Family and Protection of Childhood', asked the Commission what its efforts have achieved so far, whether there is recognition at European level of the rights of the unborn child - healthy or disabled, and how they are implemented.

In a written answer, the Commission declared that "since the adoption of the 2006 Communication 'Towards a Strategy on the rights of the child', the Commission has committed itself to undertake concrete actions in view of combating any form of violation of children's rights. The Commission foresees to present a new strategy on the rights of the child for the period 2010 - 2014. To this end, a public consultation is ongoing.
European action is focused on the inclusion of children's rights in all policies, but also on the consideration of these same rights when undertaking concrete actions, within the framework of EU's competences.
The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights guarantees the principle of inviolability of Human dignity. It is up to each Member to determine the pertinence of the application of this principle to the unborn child.The determination of whether the principle of inviolability of human dignity comprises the embryo or not as well as the determination of the legal personality of the embryo lies within the competences of the Member States.
The EU has no competence on this issue" concluded the European Commission.

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FAMILY-FRIENDLY POLICIES

05/02/2009: Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou MEP, Chairwoman of the Intergroup on Family and the Protection of Childhood of the European Parliament, presided a meeting on family policy in France, held in Strasbourg on Wednesday 4 February 2009. To this end, the Chairwoman welcomed Mr Philippe Steck, International Relations Director of the French national family allowances funds (CNAF).

"In order to contribute to the GDP (around 4.6%, allowances, housing aid and tax breaks included), French family policy should not merely be limited to the monetary aids families benefit from; it should be considered as a major policy irrigating legal fields such as family law or labour law. Family policy is implemented by the State and local collectivities but is also put into practice by one of the most important sectors of French Social Security. In this respect, family policy guarantees a balance between the respect of rights at national level and proximity actions, but also cash benefit, services and facilities. Education (classically not included within family policy) can be considered as an essential vector of family actions. Finally, one of its characteristics is an obvious social democracy in its governance, with the active participation of stakeholders such as social partners and family associations", stated Mr Steck.

The CNAF representative noted the existence of 25 different family allowances in France, concentrated around the following fields: childcare, large families, actions in favour of single-parent families, measures in order to tackle poverty (in France, 27% of children live under the poverty threshold before the allocation of family allowances, rate decreasing to 7% afterwards), personalised housing aid, reduction on transport tickets.

Mr Steck underlined that France took an active part in family policy, thus reaching a good balance between universal actions and actions targeting the underprivileged. Moreover, the cash benefit system in France puts forward, as a major partner of family policy, the 'family' field of Social Security, 60% of public spending.

The MEPs who participated in the meeting questioned the speaker on family benefits, but also on the efficiency of childcare in France. To that end, Mr Speck stressed the flexibility of family policies, the importance of giving choices to parents in order for them to decide what care is the most appropriate for their children: childcare at home by one of the two parents (49% of children under 3 years old), maternal assistance (22%), nurseries (10%), grand-parents (receiving a grant of €160) (5%), carers at home (2%), children in care (1 to 2%).

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RECOGNITION OF EMPLOYMENT WITHIN THE FAMILY

28/01/2009: At European level Decisions are taken in order to grant numerous rights and concessions to mothers and fathers, rights in respect of dependent family members (children, the elderly, the disabled) as well as decisions to facilitate the combination of work and family life, but also in relation to remunerated activities or self-employment. However, self-employment within the family, the implications thereof for the family and the family as an employer has not been recognized by the EU. Consequently, the Greek MEP asked what proposals the Czech Presidency was going to present in this area.

The Council's representative, M. Vondra Alexandr, answered Mrs Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou's question as follows: "the European Parliament and the Council can only act in a legislative capacity on the basis of a proposal from the Commission. The Commission has indeed recently tabled a proposal for a new Directive on the application of the principle of equal treatment between men and women engaged in an activity in a self-employed capacity and repealing Directive 86/613/EEC. The proposal aims at improving the social protection of self-employed workers, with a view to removing disincentives to female entrepreneurship ... the social protection of "assisting spouses", who often work in the self-employed sector without enjoying the corresponding rights. ... the vast majority of such “assisting spouses” are women, and many of them work in the agricultural sector. The Commission's proposal also aims at enhancing the recognition of such self-employment within the family by granting maternity leave to “assisting spouses”, the proposal also seeks to redress the sometimes problematic implications that informal employment within family businesses can have for the family itself, especially when “assisting spouses” have children.

Turning to the broader implications of unrecognized work by “assisting spouses” in the long term... the Council is aware of the particularly difficult situation faced by unsalaried women who depend on their husbands for their income and whose financial situation is often precarious when they retire, or if they divorce or are widowed. The Council expressed its concern with regard to this issue in December 2007, when it adopted a set of Conclusions on "Women and Poverty". The Council recognized that women were more vulnerable to income poverty than men and that the gender gap increased with age. More recently, in December 2008, the Council adopted a set of Conclusions on "Women and the Economy: the Reconciliation of Work and Family Life". Here, too, the Council reaffirmed the importance of measures allowing women and men to reconcile their work and family responsibilities, and called for appropriate policies.

In conclusion, the Council is actively addressing the concerns with respect to self-employment within a family context. The Czech Presidency will continue discussions on the above-mentioned legislative initiative and will follow its development in the European Parliament".

"My wish is for the Commission to take into serious consideration the Council's answer, and present within the briefest possible delay a relevant proposal on this issue", stated Mrs Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou.

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SECOND EUROPEAN DEMOGRAPHY FORUM: BETTER SOCIETIES FOR FAMILIES AND OLDER PEOPLE

24/11/2008: The Second Demography Report 'Meeting social needs in an ageing society' was published on 21 November 2008 by the European Commission. The report was presented at the European Demography Forum on 24 and 25 November 2008 in Brussels. More than 440 policy-makers and actors in this field attended this.

The opening session of the European Demography Forum was chaired by the Greek MEP Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou. Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou, Chairwoman of the EP's Intergroup on Family and Protection of Childhood, was invited by the European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, and the French Minister for Employment, Xavier Bertrand.

The speakers focused on the latest demographical evolutions which have become a true challenge for Europe. These evolutions will lead to a decrease of the labour force – and a tremendous increase of the population over 60 years old by 2014 – but will also have a great economical and social impact on all Member States. The intervening parties emphasised the various propositions regarding upholding the working population within the labour market, the voluntary work by pre-pension workers, the improvement of training and working conditions, the integration of immigrants and particularly the support towards families, by presenting to European citizens the necessary guaranties in order for them to be able to have their aspiring number of children. The progress made in terms of maternity and paternity leave, the guarantee of quality education, the improvement of social services, especially those regarding child care but also care for the elderly, are regarded as essential and common objectives to all Member States. To this end, Member States should exchange good practices in these areas. The survival of the economic systems, flexibility in work relations to the advantage of workers, and sustainable growth, secure investments in human dynamic and require efficient answers to approximate demographical previsions.

The Second Demography Report corrects statistics and previsions of the year 2004. It highlights the actions taken by Member States in order to meet families' needs by updating European policies and promoting care opportunities for elderly people. During the discussion and concluding session, Mrs Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou had the opportunity to underline the EU's evolution towards the adoption of family-friendly policies. The Greek MEP requested an upgrading of the European Alliance for Families, which should become a synchronisation platform for defined actions in the fields of intergenerational solidarity, equal opportunities, and the guarantee of future perspectives for youngsters. The objectives set by the Lisbon Strategy will then be reached and Europe will maintain its global partner position.

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THE PROMOTION OF TOY SAFETY BY THE EUROPEAN UNION

05/09/2008: The Intergroup on Family and Protection of Childhood of the European Parliament, under the Presidency of Greek MEP Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou, with the active collaboration of the Vice-Chairman José Ribeiro e Castro MEP, and the friendly support of the Intergroup on SMEs, convened during the plenary session in Brussels, on Thursday 4 September 2008, in order to discuss the revision of the Directive 88/378/CEE concerning bringing together Member States' laws relating to the safety of toys.

Among the speakers, Mrs Van Rijn, General-Secretary of ORNES (the Dutch Toys Supplier Organisation) and the Foundation 'SpeelGoed' (Netherlands) underlined the importance of play in the education of the child, offering a pedagogical vision to the meeting. Playing allows the child to develop its behaviour, its skills and to forge its personality. It is thus essential that toys are safe and well secure so that the child uses them with a maximum of protection.

Maureen Logghe, Policy Officer for 'Toys Safety Legislation' within the DG Entreprise of the European Commission, presented the Commission's proposal which reinforces not only the safety requirements of the toys but also the obligation to monitor the markets, the manufacturers and the suppliers. It is thus within this framework that a draft report was tabled by the Belgian MEP Marianne Thyssen within the Interior Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) of the EP.
From his side, Daryl Srivens, member of the 'Toys Industries of Europe', presented the view of the industry relating to toy safety, approving the Commission's approach with regards to dangerous substances, while explaining the increasing constraints which this sector faces.

The debate which followed emphasised the position of the Members of the IMCO Committee as well as the vision of the family and consumer protection organisations. Critics arose against the CE marking, which is obligatory and must be visible on packing but often leads to confusion because it is not provided by an independent organisation but by the manufacturers themselves. Moreover, the question of the manufacturer's responsibility was raised in case of accident caused by a toy, thus leaving the problem of census of children's accidents within the European Union outstanding.

In conclusion, Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou declared: "Considering the fact that toys represent an important part of the child's education and contribute to a smooth evolution of their behaviour and character, it is essential that the existing security standards are respected in order to guarantee children's protection". The deputy wished that the European Toy Market, including imported toys, will give an example of security standards on a worldwide scale.

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CHILDREN AND MEDIA: GROWING UP IN A DIGITALISED WORKD

05/09/2007: The Intergroup on Family and Protection of Childhood organised today in the EP in Strasbourg, under the presidency of MEPs Ruth Hieronymi and Maria Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou, met with the Audiovisual Policy Intergroup in order to exchange views on the influence of media on the lives and development of children. The meeting, which focused on the topic 'Children and Media: growing up in a digitalised world', gathered representatives of the European Commission, Parliamentarians, industry, and NGOs.

Bartholomeus Pronk, Advisor to European Commissioner Viviane Reding, indicated that given the multiplication and diversification of the dangers, the Commission has adopted a number of initiatives, such as the Media Directive and the programme Safer Internet Plus, which aims at sensitising parents, educators and children, as well as creating a network of media professionals, in order to identify and eliminate illegal content on the net. The Commission focuses on examining the dangers resulting from the use of mobile phones by children in the framework of a public consultation, which was closed in October 2006. Mr Pronk underlined that e-literacy and e-learning proposals are currently being examined by Commission experts.

Dr J Brautmeier, a representative of the Media Authority of Northrhine-Westphalia (LfM) European Platform of Regulatory Authorities (EPRA), presented the initiative adopted by the region of Northrhine-Westphalia, including the assessment of self-regulation in order to protect children from harmful content. He mentioned the creation of a committee with extended investigational powers, as well as the development of systems of age verification. He also indicated that Germany has created a portal for the use of mobile phones (www.handysektor.de) and an online information portal (www.klicksafe.de) based on the European Safer Internet Programme. He explained that Germany has also adopted legislation enabling the prosecution of foreign broadcasts which violate German legislation.

Eirini Zafeiratou, Director of GSM Europe, recalled that mobile phone operators recognised their role in preventing and eliminating dangers associated with the use of mobile phones by children. However, she underlined that an effective response to the problem requires close cooperation between all interested actors, including parents, educators and civil society. To this end, she presented the initiative, which is placed under the patronage of the European Commission and GSM Europe, relating to the creation of a European framework for safer mobile use by younger teenagers and children. This partnership has adopted a series of recommendations on control mechanisms, raising awareness, classification of content and the fight against illegal material. Mrs Zafeiratou explained that the first assessment of the European framework will take place in 2008 and that national codes of conduct are currently being prepared in several European countries.

As far as the provision of products and technological services adapted to children is concerned, Mrs Anne Clarke from the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, underlined that the technological sector should take an increased interest in the need of young consumers by exchanging good practices and adopting guidelines and strategies in order to minimise the risk. She regrets the absence of data on the nature and frequency of the risk to which children are confronted, which complicated the work of prevention. Finally, Mrs Clarke insisted on the necessity to include courses on the safer use of media in educational programmes.

Tobjorn Ull from the Crime Against Persons unit of Europol, informed the participants of the Europol programmes to prosecute authors of sexual crimes on the internet, including joint initiatives with Member States, as well as procedures to identify providers and networks. He indicated that the major obstacle is the non-application of existing legislation. Finally, he recalled Europol's role in the retransmission of information to national and international agencies.

"Given the evolution of the media environment, it is necessary to sensitise children, parents and educators to a safer use of new technology, which would be respectful of the law. Prevention and increased parental control will always remain the best weapons against the danger of new technologies", stated Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou and Mrs Hieronymi.

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Ruth Hieronymi MEP
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FOLLOW-UP OF THE EUROPEAN STRATEGY ON CHILDREN'S RIGHTS

21/06/2007: The Intergroup Family and Protection of Childhood met today in the EP in Strasbourg, under the Presidency of Mrs Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou, to discuss the follow-up of the Commission Communication on a Future Strategy on the Rights of the Child. The meeting aimed in particular at exchanging views with the draftsperson, Mrs Angelilli, in view of the preparation of the Parliament report. The meeting, during which rapporteurs from different parliamentary Commissions expressed their views, reunited many interested parliamentarians, as well as representatives from the Council of Europe and Non-Governmental Organisations.

Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou underlined that a number of initiatives have been undertaken after the adoption of the Commission Communication and especially the nomination of a coordinator in the European Commission for the rights of the child, the establishment of a telephone line for missing children and the organisation of the first forum on the rights of the child which took place in Berlin on 4 June. She regretted that both the hearing organised in the European Parliament in April as well as the Commission Communication essentially focused on the child as a victim and not as a holder of rights and obligations, and insisted on the importance to recognise and promote the role of the family as the fundamental cell for the better development and protection of the child.

The rapporteur of the DROI Committee, Mrs Belohorska, drew the attention of the participants to specific problems which should be addressed in the Parliament's report and the Commission's works. Among these priorities, she mentioned the registration of births that is still lacking in certain regions of the world, the protection of children's health, including mental health, the treatment of refugee children, as well as the involvement of children in military conflicts. She finally indicated that a better control of arms sales could put an end to these situations, where children are both participants and victims.

Mrs Angelilli underlined that the target of the strategy was not only to prevent the abuse towards children, but also to promote their rights as independent legal personalities and as citizens. To this effect, the participation of children in the decision-making process should be evaluated. Furthermore, Mrs Angelilli expressed her concern on the increasing phenomenon of child pornography, especially through the internet, and mentioned in this regard that an internet site is organising a 'love boy day'. She recalled that the EU should combat these crimes, especially through the exchange of information between Member States on convictions, a better coordination of actions at national level and insisted on an increased use of Community programmes, such as DAPHNE. Finally, Mrs Angelilli indicated that in order to cope with the absence of a specific legal base at Community level on the issue of the rights of the child, Commissioner Frattini proposed that the Member States should establish a coordinator at national level and that they should establish a network of exchange of good practices.

In the debate that followed, the participants expressed their concerns over the effectiveness of community actions, given the absence of a legal base for the rights of the child.

At the end of the meeting, Mrs Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou expressed her hope that the strategy will be implemented through a programme of global actions, in which the civil society will have an active role.

BETTER CONCILIATION OF FAMILY LIFE WITH A PERIOD OF STUDIES OR TRAINING

19/06/2007: The plenary session of the European Parliament approved by a large majority the report of Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou MEP entitled "Towards a regulatory framework for measures to reconcile family life and a period of studies for young women in the EU".

The report, which was unanimously adopted on the 5th of June by the Women's Rights Committee, contains several recommendations which aim to enable young people to reconcile their period of studies or training with family responsibilities, maternity or paternity leave, or in situations of care for dependent persons such as disabled or elderly people.

The report underlines that the later achievement of the different stages of life (studies, work, family) is responsible, amongst others, for Europe's demographic decline.

It encourages the Commission and the Member States to promote policies for the conciliation of a period of studies or training and family life and to provide interested young people with the resources that correspond to their needs.

It invites Member States to propose low-cost social security schemes for students and trainees which could be extended to their dependents as well as to facilitate the provision of bank loans for students and to reduce or suppress the taxation of young people who take up family responsibilities in parallel with their studies, training or professional activity.

The report regrets that all the Member States have not yet complied with the Barcelona objectives on childcare facilities and encourages the creation of such structures within universities or professional institutes. As far as older children are concerned, the report encourages Member States to provide students with good quality and low-cost care facilities.

It recommends the establishment of a national certification system which would enable the identification of Higher Education Institutions which offer possibilities for the conciliation of studies and family life.

The report also invites the Member States and social partners to facilitate lifelong learning and its conciliation with family and professional life. It calls for the suppression of all restrictions to complementary paid work activities for students as long as the amounts received do not exceed the threshold set by each Member State.

Finally it calls on Member States to examine whether family responsibilities are a factor of abandonment of studies, especially for young women.

CELEBRATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE FAMILY

16/05/2007: The European Parliament joined the celebrations for the International Day of the Family in the framework of a meeting organised on 15 May by Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou MEP. This meeting, which was preceded by a press conference, gathered MEPs, international experts as well as family NGO representatives, in order to address two important issues for families: the education of children regarding the media and the financial situation of families.

Dr Ted Baehr, Director of Movie Guide Magazine (USA) and an internationally renowned expert, was a key speaker at this event during which he addressed the issue of the impact of the media on children. Dr Baehr presented alarming figures which demonstrate the addiction of children to the media and the effect of the latter on the living habits of families: US statistics show that children devote over 63,000 hours per year to the media compared to 11,000 hours for school. Parents only discuss two minutes per day with their children. Dr Baehr underlined the fact that the adoption of a selective behaviour regarding media content relies greatly on the participation and responsibility of parents who must assume their educational role. He also mentioned the importance of establishing an ethical code to which movie companies could subscribe in order to ensure the quality of their productions from an ethical and family perspective. Finally, Dr Baehr stressed that according to recent statistics, movie productions that convey moral values are particularly successful among the public and are economically more profitable.

Intervening on the topic of the financial situation of families, Mr Laszlo Marki, Vice-President of the European Large Families Confederation, recalled that 16% of the EU's population is threatened by poverty and underlined the importance of providing financial support to families given that the cost of life is constantly increasing. He then presented a call to the European Commission, supported by a coalition of European family NGOs, for a reduced VAT rate on products and services for children. Mr Marki reminded participants that the European Commission, in the framework of its action towards family-friendly policies, committed itself to finding a legal base in order to include nappies among the products that could benefit from a reduced VAT rate.

MEPs expressed their support for the proposal of the family NGOs and committed to promoting it at the European Commission and among their respective governments in order to contribute to the creation of the necessary conditions for demographic renewal. Mrs Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou stated that the success of such an initiative would constitute a strong and symbolic message of the interest of the EU for families and children in Europe.

50 YEARS OF THE EU: SOCIAL ASSESSMENT AND PERSPECTIVES

26/04/2007: Joint meeting of the Intergroup on Family and Protection of Childhood and the Fourth World European Committee Intergroup co-chaired by Mrs Panayotopoulos and Mr Mendez de Vigo.

The Intergroup on Family and Protection of Childhood, together with the Fourth World European Committee Intergroup, organised yesterday in the EP in Strasbourg a meeting on the evolution of the social and family situation in Europe since the establishment of the European Community, as well as on the integration of these dimensions in the negotiations on the Constitutional Treaty. The meeting, which was co-chaired by Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou and Mr Mendez de Vigo gathered together Members of the Parliament, EU civil servants and NGOs.

The meeting highlighted the fact that over 16% of the EU's population lives below the poverty threshold with children, migrants, large families, lone parents or disabled persons being particularly at risk. All speakers agreed that poverty is a multidimensional phenomenon that concerns not only monetary poverty but also fundamental human rights and includes aspects of discrimination, exclusion and limitation of options and choices.

During her intervention, Mrs Annelise Oeschger, President of the INGO of the Council of Europe, recalled the difficulties that preceded the establishment of a European social inclusion policy. She underlined that the adoption, in 1989, of the European Social Charter represented a significant step towards the definition of a specific legal base in the field of social exclusion and poverty which was finally substantiated in the Treaty of Amsterdam. Mrs Oeschger also recalled that the Open Method of Coordination in the field of social inclusion constitutes an important tool for the exchange and definition of policies targeted towards the eradication of poverty and inequalities in the labour market as well as full employment.

Mr Lay, Director of the Confederation of Family Organisations of the EU (COFACE), recalled that families and children are particularly vulnerable to poverty. While recalling the activities of the COFACE at EU level, Mr Lay expressed his satisfaction regarding the increased commitment of the European Commission to promote family friendly policies and insisted on the need to enable parents to conciliate family and professional life.

Mr Pacheco from the Constitutional Affairs Committee underlined that the integration of the social dimension into the negotiations on the Constitutional Treaty depended on the will of the Member States to change the objectives in order to highlight the social situation.

Mrs Panayotopoulos concluded the meeting by calling to mind that the European Spring Council reiterated the necessity to reinforce the social and economic cohesion in the EU with particular attention towards the eradication of child poverty. She added that the Council approved the proposal of the German Presidency to create an Alliance for Families. Mrs Panayotopoulos underlined that "the approval of a European Alliance for Families constitutes an additional step towards the inclusion of families in the European political agenda and the recognition of their contribution to the improvement of the demographic situation and the economic and social development of the EU". Mr. Mendez de Vigo recalled the necessity to integrate the social dimension in the new proposal for a Constitutional Treaty and stressed the importance of the EP's contribution to the future Intergovernmental Convention.

'WHICH FUTURE FOR FAMILIES IN EUROPE ?

30/03/2007: The MEP and Chairwoman of the Intergroup on Family and Protection of Childhood, Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou, chaired a seminar on "The Future of Families in Europe" on Wednesday 28 March at the European Parliament in Brussels. This seminar, which gathered a large number of MEPs and NGOs included the participation of the President of the Organising Committee of the World Congress for Family, Katarzyna Mazela, as well as the ECOSOC rapporteur for the family, Stephane Buffetaut.

The meeting focused initially on the presentation of the 4th World Congress for Family which will take place in Warsaw on 11-13 May 2007 on the topic "The natural Family - Spring for Europe and for the World".

"To the demographic winter of Europe, we propose the spring of the natural family. Within the framework of the Congress, a series of initiatives will enable each participant to put his individual faculties to the service of the promotion of the natural family, in respect of our respective competences" underlined the President of the Congress' Organising Committee. The Parliamentary forum, which will be organised on the 11th of May 2007 under the Presidency of the Sejm, assisted by the European Forum for Human Rights and the Family, and with the participation of Panayotopoulos MEP, Zaborska MEP and Carlo Casini MEP, will be the highlight of the Congress.

The seminar, during which Mario Mauro, Ingo Friedrich, Carlo Casini, Anna Zaborska and Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou intervened, enabled Buffetaut, the EESC's rapporteur, to present his opinion on "family and demographic changes". The text, which was elaborated on the request of the German Presidency of the EU, emphasizes that the fight against the damaging effects of climate change requires a broad political coordination on different levels (family, social, economic, environmental policies as well as gender equality policies) which could be implemented by the adoption of a European action plan. In addition, Buffetaut recommended the creation of a "European Family Pact" by the Council, the Parliament and the Commission which would reaffirm the Member States' will to implement family-friendly policies, allowing Europeans to have as many children as they desire. These policies should foster a family-friendly environment by setting a minimum base of public budgets for children and families, direct financial aid, tax adjustments and a sufficient child care facilities. Finally, Buffetaut stressed the necessity to establish a European register of good practices regarding family policies and he insisted on the need for assuring a constant and stable family policy by maintaining financial aid for children.

The resolution, which was adopted at the end of the seminar, recalls the importance of recognising and promoting the role of the family as the founding structure of society through which moral, cultural, spiritual and material values that are vital for intergenerational solidarity and economic and social cohesion are transmitted. The resolution also underlines the importance of family structures for the healthy development of children and underlines that the complementarities between men and women must also be a reality in family life. Finally the text stresses the socio-economic importance of services that are provided for children and the elderly within the family and asks for a better recognition of the qualifications acquired as well as for the provision of social rights, including pensions, for people who take up such responsibilities. It was reminded that in the absence of a binding legal instrument at EU level, article 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights should be respected in the implementation of EU policies.

The debate was followed by a joint press conference with Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou, Anna Zaborska, Stephane Buffetaut (European Economic and Social Committee), Katarzyna Mazela (President of the Organising Committee of the World Congress for Family), the European Foundation and Femina Europa.

FAMILIES IN EUROPE - WHAT FUTURE ?

16/03/2007 Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou MEP, President of the European Parliament's Intergroup on Family and Protection of Childhood, will preside over the seminar "What future for the families in Europe?" on 28 March in Brussels.

This seminar is organised in the context of the preparation of the World Congress of Families which will be held in Warsaw 11-13 May. The seminar will also facilitate the adoption of a resolution on the future of families in Europe.

The speakers include three members of the EPP-ED Group: Mario Mauro (Italy), Vice-President of the European Parliament, Ingo Friedrich (Germany), Quaestor of the European Parliament and President of the movement "Paneuropa Union", and José Ribeiro e Castro (Portugal), as well as Stéphane Buffetaut, rapporteur for the family for the Economic and Social Committee.

Two co-organisers, Elizabeth Montfort, President of 'Femina Europa' and former EPP-ED MEP, and Giorgio Salina, President of the Association for the Foundation of Europe, will also deliver speeches at this event.

Interested NGOs are also welcome to participate.

The seminar will take place from 4.30 to 6.30pm in room A5E3 of the European Parliament. There will be a press conference afterwards at 7pm in room PHS 0A50.

FQUALITY ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH FOR CHILDREN: MEETING OF THE INTERGROUP ON FAMILY AND PROTECTION OF CHILDHOOD

15/03/2007: The Intergroup on Family and Protection of Childhood met yesterday in the European Parliament in Strasbourg to discuss 'Quality Environment and Health for Children: Essential Components of the future EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child.' The meeting, which aimed at highlighting the impact of environmental change on children's health as well as the medical problems that children face, gathered together MEPs, representatives of the European Commission, the World Health Organisation and NGOs.

Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou indicated that the Commission's Communication on a Strategy on the Rights of the Child points out that over 10 million children under the age of five die each year of illnesses that could have been easily treated or prevented. A third of the world's children suffer from malnutrition, live in desperate circumstances (no access to drinkable water, bad hygiene, environmental pollution) and do not have access to healthcare prevention and treatment. However, Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises the right of children to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health and have facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health.

Referring to the fact that over 50% of medicines used in the EU for treating children have not been tested or authorised specifically for children, Peter Liese MEP underlined that the new Regulation on paediatric medicine requires Member States to verify that the medicines put on the market take into account the specificity of a child's organism. He insisted on the dangers arising from chemical substances which can affect children more than adults. Finally, Liese noted the crucial role of the family environment for the health and well-being of children.

The representative of DG SANCO, Charles Price, explained that the Commission was placing great importance on the protection of children as consumers and indicated that the new EU Strategy on Public Health, which should be adopted in the summer of 2007, will pay particular attention to the fight against tobacco use, the protection against the dangers of alcohol and to a responsible sexuality. Mr Price added that over 31% of young Europeans smoke and that tobacco use has become one of the greatest medical problems of our time. The new Health Strategy will thus launch an initiative for youth without tobacco as well as a strategy for the prevention of alcoholism. In addition, the New Strategy will contain provisions for medical problems arising from over-consumption (obesity) as well as provisions for mental health, young people being increasingly more at risk.

Lucianne Licari, on behalf of the World Health Organisation, mentioned that a joint report of UNICEF and the WHO revealed that 33% of the illnesses that affect children under the age of five are caused by environmental change (respiratory diseases, allergies, diabetes, cancer etc). She added that beyond the medical dangers linked to a sedentary life and accidents, the WHO has identified internal and external pollution, the absence of drinkable water and hygiene and lead contamination as major health risks. Mrs Licari finally underlined that the collaboration between all stakeholders at all levels, the implementation of specific actions and better synergies between environmental and health policies could substantially contribute to the improvement of the quality of children's health.

CONCILIATION OF FAMILY LIFE AND A PERIOD OF STUDIES FOR YOUNG WOMEN IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

22/02/2007: On the initiative of rapporteur Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou (MEP, EPP-ED, Greece), a public hearing will be held by the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality on Tuesday 27 February from 10.30 hrs to 12.30 hrs in room ASP 3G2. The public hearing is based on her own-initiative report on 'a regulatory framework for measures to reconcile family life and a period of studies for young women in the European Union'.

Studies, vocational training, postgraduate studies and job-seeking are important stages in young people's lives and are affected by accelerating developments of technology and labour market needs. However, the phenomenon of long-term extensions to studies contributes to the postponement of taking any decision on starting a family.

The increase in life expectancy of older people is often suggested as a factor that quite often obliges young men and women, at an early stage of their careers, to be overwhelmed with the care of older people and other dependants.

The results of demographic developments, occurring at crucial stages of young people's lives, as well as possible solutions to the ensuing problems, will be addressed by a large number of experts and researchers competent in the fields of demography. Representatives of the Council, the European Commission, the Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of Regions, social partners and non-governmental organisations will also participate in the hearing.

"The draft report aims to assist in planning measures which will help young people to reconcile their family lives at the early stages of their careers so that they feel they can actively participate in society", said Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou.

NOW ON TRACK: THE SINGLE EU HOTLINE NUMBER FOR MISSING CHILDREN

21/02/2007: Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou MEP (EPP-ED, Greece), rapporteur of the "European Strategy on the Rights of the Child" which was launched on 4 July 2006, welcomes the Commission's draft Decision to reserve the use of the '116000' number specifically for missing children hotlines.

Providing a single number to report missing children represents a concrete example of how the EU, and in particular the European Commission, has made children's rights one of its priorities. As incidents of missing children have substantially increased (according to UK police estimates, approximately 70,000 missing children are reported missing annually), many European countries have already implemented different hotline telephone numbers for parents to report missing children.

Taking into consideration the trans-national character of cases for missing children, the 'same number - same service 116000' will greatly assist parents if they lose their child while travelling or on holiday in another European country, and will also ensure better cooperation among the police services so as to trace missing children and arrest perpetrators. Member States should adopt this initiative for the protection of children's rights by summer 2007.

The issue of the correct implementation of a single hotline number for missing children has already been addressed by a number of MEPs and members of the Intergroup on "Family and the Protection of Childhood" which Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou chairs. During the Intergroup meeting in September 2006, the Vice-President of the Commission, Franco Frattini, delivering his speech on the Strategy of the Rights of the Child, welcomed comments referring to the implementation of the "116 initiative". On 11 December 2006, Viviane Reding, Commissioner for Information Society and Media, at the Telecom Council, called upon all Ministers to support urgent progress on this Commission proposal. In the near future, a public call will be launched in order to identify other services that may benefit from 116 numbers.

"The implementation of the '116 initiative' for reporting missing children is only a first step illustrating pan-European awareness of the protection of children's rights. Close cooperation among the Member States is necessary in order to establish a safe living space for all families in Europe. Such an initiative gives us hope to defend against criminal actions that threaten the safety of our children", said Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou.

CHILDHOOD PROTECTION

12/12/2006: Childhood protection: Member States need to adopt dynamic policies.

The need for coordinated action to protect children against exploitation, ill-treatment or violence and to promote their rights in fundamental fields such as survival, health and education was underlined by Mrs Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou, MEP (EPP-ED, GR) during her intervention in the plenary of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on the occasion of World Children's day.

According to a recent UNICEF study, more than half of the children living in developing countries do not have access to elementary goods and services essential for children. These goods include housing, hygienic infrastructures, basic healthcare, access to education and information, food and drinkable water. The study also indicates that a huge number of children live in low-income households and are obliged to work, many abandon their homes because of armed conflicts, and many are contaminated by various illnesses or die during conflicts. In addition, it is estimated that 15 million children in the world have become orphans because of AIDS.

World Children's day (11th December), aims to raise the issue of rights of children and instances of their violations. The United Nations and more particularly UNICEF, which celebrates its 60th year of existence, have transformed the protection of children into a social necessity and have worked towards it in a responsible manner. In 1959, the UN adopted the Declaration on the Rights of the Child and established a legal framework for protection against any type of exploitation or negligence. The Convention on the Rights of the Child which was adopted in 1989 and is yet to be signed by several States, includes rights of survival, development, protection and participation.

The Council of Europe recently (April 2006) launched a program entitled "Building a Europe for and with the Children" which aims at recognising rights for children in order to protect their moral and physical integrity in the same way as for adults. In addition, through its recent Communication on "A European Strategy on the rights of the child", the European Commission adopted a horizontal approach and a global strategy for the protection of children both in the internal and external policies of the EU.

Hoping for a coordination of the actions in the external and internal policies of the EU, Mrs Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou asked each Member State separately to adopt measures in favour of the protection of the rights of children. She underlined that "children are not only threatened by poverty, illiteracy and conflicts outside the EU, but also by violence, committed within our developed countries.

THE SITUATION OF LONE PARENT FAMILIES IN THE EU

26/10/2006: The Intergroup on Family and Protection of Childhood met today in Strasbourg under the chairmanship of Mrs. Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou (EPP-ED, GR) to discuss the situation of lone parent families in the EU. The Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Mr Vladimir Spidla, was the keynote speaker of this event in which MEPs, NGO representatives and social partners participated.

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.

FINANCIAL RELIEF FOR EUROPEAN FAMILIES

15/09/2006: EU legislation is currently under discussion for a reduced VAT rate on children's diapers. Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou MEP and José Ribeiro e Castro MEP

Following the efforts of MEPs Mrs Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou and Mr Ribeiro e Castro for the inclusion of children's diapers in the list of products which could benefit from a reduced VAT rate, the European Commission announced on 19 July, that it would take the necessary steps in order to create a legal basis for the application of reduced VAT to these products.

With this initiative, the Commission could add products to annex H of the 6th VAT Directive or modify its interpretation of the existing ones.

The Commission announcement was preceded by meetings between the two MEPs and Commissioners for taxation and social affairs, Mr Kovacs and Spidla, as well as by several oral questions underlining the necessity to apply the same reduced VAT rate to children's diapers as to adults'. The MEPs had expressed their dismay regarding the unequal taxation treatment of these products which constitute products of first necessity for families.

In its declaration, the Commission indicated that it had sent letters of formal notice to the member states which apply a reduced VAT rate to children's diapers (Malta, Poland, Portugal, Hungary, Czech Republic) in order to obtain additional explanations and information on the basis of which the Commission will examine the possibility to revise annex H of the 6th VAT Directive.

With this decision the Commission clearly shows its commitment to support pro-family policies as a part of the EU's response to demographic challenges and the constant ageing of the population.

Mrs Panayotopoulos and Mr Ribeiro e Castro welcomed the Commission's decision and expressed the hope that the Commission will continue to address favourably the concerns of European families and particularly those facing financial difficulties.

PRESENTATION OF THE EU STRATEGY ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

07/09/2006: Meeting of the Intergroup on Family and Protection of Childhood: Presentation of the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child by the Vice-President of the Commission, Franco Frattini.

The Intergroup on "Family and Protection of Childhood" of the European Parliament convened yesterday under the Presidency of Greek MEP (EPP-ED), Mrs Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou, to discuss the recent Communication of the Commission on "an EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child".

The Vice-President of the European Commission and competent Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security, Mr Franco Frattini, was the keynote speaker at this event which gathered a large number of MEPs, representatives of the Council of Europe, the Economic and Social Committee, UNICEF and family NGOs. The Commissioner presented the latest developments generated by the Communication and the objectives of the Commission in the field of the rights of the child.

Presenting the Commission's Communication, the Commissioner pointed out that this was the first time that the Commission has adopted a horizontal approach and overall strategy for the protection and promotion of the rights of the child within the external and internal relations of the EU. Thus, it covers a large spectrum of policies, such as civil and penal law, employment, education and health as well as development cooperation and trade negotiations with third countries. Under this initiative, children acquire an entity and are considered as full citizens on an equal footing with adults. They are also given the opportunity to participate in the deliberations for the decisions which concern them.

Commenting on the text, the Commissioner stressed that the objective of the Commission is not to present new legislation, but rather use existing ones in order to achieve, as soon as possible, substantial results in the protection of the rights of the child which would be mainstreamed in all European policies. In this regard, transparency and consultation of children are working methods of great importance for the Commission. The role of the future European Coordinator for the Rights of the Child, whose duties will include the development of a close cooperation among the fourteen competent DGs of the European Commission and the creation of a permanent European Forum for the Rights of the Child, will also be of great importance. Mr Frattini emphasised that within the European Forum, public and private authorities of the Member States, international and European organisations, NGOs and children will exchange ideas and information on best practices. It will also have a catalyst role in the planning and implementation of the national policies based on the needs and interests of children.

Furthermore, the Commissioner informed the public of the implementation of specific measures for the protection of children such as the creation of European telephone lines for immediate help/aid which will be operational by the end of 2006, the creation of a website specifically designed for children, the support of banks in their fight against the use of credit cards for the acquisition of pornographic material, along with an adequate use of the activities funded by the DAPHNE programme and the promotion of the role of EUROPOL in the fight against criminal activities targeted at children. He underlined that during 2007 the Commission would present a new Communication on the fight against child poverty within the framework of development cooperation.

In response to questions of the assembly concerning the role of the family in the normal development of the child, the Commissioner stated that although family issues were of national competence, the Commission is planning to encourage family cohesion with adequate means. As far as the paedophilia party in the Netherlands is concerned, Mr Frattini indicated that the Commission could not intervene directly on this issue, but along with the Dutch Government it would closely follow any violation of the rights of children and take all appropriate dissuasive measures.

During the Press Conference that followed the meeting, Mrs Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou stated that " the new Strategy on the rights of the child should facilitate the adoption, at national level, of a dynamic policy for children which would consider the best interest of the child as a major criterion of any action and would encourage the active and responsible participation of children both in family and social life". In accordance with the Commissioner's intervention, she stressed the importance of the role of the coordinator for children and the need for this function to be created in all Member States.

WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND GENDER EQUALITY ON THE DAPHNE III PROGRAMME.

05/09/2006: Violence against Women: EP adopts a comprehensive programme (DAPHNE III). Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou MEP

The European Parliament adopted today the report of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality on the DAPHNE III programme. The new Programme, which was developed within the framework of the general programme " Fundamental Rights and Justice", will run from 2007 until 2013. It aims, on the one hand, to prevent and combat violence against women, children and young people and on the other, to protect the victims through the establishment of effective trans-national networks, provision of support for the activities of NGOs and the exchange of best practices and experiences.

The DAPHNE III Programme, which the Commission agreed to separate from the Programme on Drugs, as a result of pressure from the Women's Rights Committee, continues the action undertaken under the DAPHNE I and DAPHNE II programmes which resumed respectively in 1997 and 2004, with great success. Since 1997, the Programme has financed 420 projects, a great percentage of which have contributed to a modification of national legislation, the strengthening of the role of NGOs and the establishment of a close collaboration between all interested parties (local authorities, civil society etc). The success of the Programme relies on its broad and integrated approach to violence, which includes physical, psychological and sexual dimensions at a European level.

The new programme doesn't deliver any important innovations, apart from the great increase in the budget which amounts to 116.85 million euros instead of 50 million previously. The increased funding is aimed at tackling the challenges resulting from the enlargement of the EU, as far as trafficking and violence are concerned, and responding to the Commission's objective of creating a European area of freedom, security and justice. The EPP complies with the agreement on the financial perspectives.

During her intervention in plenary, Mrs Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou stressed that the success of the Programme depends on good management and transparency in the use of the funds, correct implementation of the general objectives and the respect of the principle of subsidiarity. She asked that the programme take a threefold approach: prevention through information campaigns, addressing the cause of violence, treatment and care for the victims and adequate treatment of perpetrators. Mrs Panayotopoulos indicated that although she was very much in favour of such an initiative, she believes that the proposed Europe-wide helpline (SOS Children) should take the form of a hotline and not of a helpline.

The EPP voted in favour of the report on the DAPHNE III Programme, although it did not agree with the reference to specific categories of victims and objected on the further increase of the budget to 125 million euros which does not comply with the agreement on the financial perspectives.
The Greek MEP, expressed her satisfaction with the almost unanimous approval of her amendment which provides for a specific functioning grant for the European Federation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children (19 European Organizations), as well as the European Network of Ombudsmen for Children. This network aims at the protection of children's rights in Europe in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the exchange of information among European countries and the formulation of national policies for children.

INTEGRATION OF IMMIGRANT WOMEN IN GREECE.

31/05/2006 Integration of immigrant women in Greece. Delegation of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality visits Athens. Rodi Kratsa - Tsagaropoulou MEP and Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou MEP

On the occasion of the preparation of an own-initative report by Mrs Rodi Kratsa - Tsagaropoulou MEP on the immigration of women and the role and place of immigrant women in the European Union, a delegation of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality visited Greece on 29-30 May. The aim of the mission was to assess Greece’s actions regarding migration, integration of women migrants and trafficking leading to their sexual exploitation.

Anna Záborská MEP, Chairwoman of the Committee, Rodi Kratsa - Tsagaropoulou MEP and Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou MEP and other MEPs met government representatives, Members of the Greek Parliament and NGOs. They exchanged opinions with the Minister of Public Order, Vyron Polydoras, Minister of Justice, Anastasios Papaligouras, and the Under Secretary for Public Administration and Decentralisation, Athanassios Nakos, on the EU's migration policy, the fight against illegal immigration and the sexual exploitation of women.

The members of the Delegation saw at first hand that Greece has had a late reaction to the situation caused by migration and organised crime in the early 90s. As a result, the country faced problems in managing migration, battling organised crime and protecting the victims. The members of the Parliamentary Committee were informed about the new institutional framework (legislation, ministerial Committees, the role of the Local Authorities) and pointed out the need for continuous evaluation and application.

Mrs Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou particularly stressed that migration policy in Greece and in other countries of the EU should take into consideration the dimension of the needs, discrimination problems and integration challenges of immigrant women at all levels: in inter-country agreements, the rights and obligations of the immigrants, the conditions of work, the education, the implementation of special EU programmes and initiatives for immigration. She also stressed the need for supporting organisations for immigrants so that they can use the best way to present their demands and contribute to the integration of new immigrants. Mrs Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou emphasised the need for multilateral collaboration in South East Europe, in Interpol and Europol.

Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou pointed out that although Greece has implemented the acquis for fighting trafficking, it should intensify its efforts in fighting organised crime and protecting the victims by offering psychological and legal support and helping their integration into social life. She also spoke about the experiences of the Greek community in Germany and other countries in integration and underlined the importance of applying this experience at a national and European level.

SPOKES IN THE WHEELS OF FAMILIES ?

23/05/2006: Spokes in the wheels of families? José Ribeiro e Castro MEP and Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou MEP "We clearly disagree with the European Commission's interpretation of what is comprised within category 3 of Annex H of the 6th VAT Directive", said José Ribeiro e Castro MEP, President of the Portuguese CDS-People's Party, and Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou MEP after the meeting with László Kovács, European Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union. The subject of the meeting was the exclusion of baby nappies from the range of products to which a reduced VAT rate can be applied.

Both MEPs agreed that there is an unreasonable and unjustified different treatment between adult incontinence protection and baby nappies. If the Commission stands by its interpretation, this could be regarded as an age-based discrimination for the purpose of article 13 of EC Treaty.

"There are five Member States which have lowered their tax rates - Portugal, Malta, the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary. We believe that the European institutions - the Council and the Commission in particular - should encourage the other states to follow their example instead of taking measures against them", said José Ribeiro e Castro MEP.

"Baby nappies and adult incontinence pads are made from the same materials, fulfil the same functions and carry equal health benefits. We brought Commissioner Kovács samples of both in order to try to establish the difference... Some legal experts might understand the legal arguments of the Commission services although, as usual, other legal experts disagree. But no-one, no citizen, nobody with common sense, can understand the difference between baby nappies and adult incontinence pads, why they are taxed differently and why baby nappies should have the higher VAT rate", concluded José Ribeiro e Castro MEP.

EUROPEAN TRAINING FOUNDATION IN TURIN

26/04/2006: Visit of Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou MEP to the European Training Foundation in Turin On 24 and 25 April, Member of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, took part in the Delegation visit to the European Training Foundation (ETF) in Turin.

Hosted by the Director of the ETF, Muriel Dunbar, the MEPs had the opportunity to become familiar with the Foundation's work programme illustrated with country examples and the ETF Annual Activity Report 2005 and to enhance the good cooperation between the ETF, the European Parliament and the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs.

Based on the principle that education and training can make a fundamental contribution to increasing prosperity, creating sustainable growth and encouraging social inclusion, the Foundation has launched projects with particular reference to the modernisation of the vocational education and training systems in South Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia and the Mediterranean region. Working in close cooperation with partner organisations, it also promotes knowledge sharing and expertise development.

The detailed presentation of the activities of the Foundation aimed at including the gender mainstreaming perspective and of the projects analysing migration and the fight against poverty, gave the members of the delegation an invaluable insight on matters crucial to European integration.

Mrs Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou congratulated the personnel of the ETF for their excellent and hard work to develop people's skills and knowledge in order to promote better living conditions, active citizenship and democratic societies respecting human rights and cultural diversity.

OLDER PERSONS AND THE SOLIDARITY OF EUROPEAN SOCIETY.

07/04/2006: 'Older persons and the solidarity of European society: Meeting of the Intergroup on Family and Protection of Childhood.

Within the broader context of intergenerational relations and their impact on economic and social life, the meeting of the Intergroup on Family and Protection of Childhood on 5 April in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, chaired by Marie Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou MEP, focused on the topic of "Older persons and the solidarity of European society". The meeting was launched with an introduction by Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou who emphasised the importance of an exchange of ideas on this issue. More particularly, she indicated that "it was important to examine the measures that Europe should take to deal with demographic ageing and the improvement of the living and working conditions of older persons. In parallel, it is also necessary to ensure the long-term viability of pension systems and the provision of good quality health care for older persons."

Philip Bushill-Matthews MEP, Member of the Employment Committee and rapporteur of the report on demography which was adopted by a large majority by the Parliament, briefly presented the main points of his report. Among others, he underlined that intergenerational solidarity was the good approach since the question of demographic ageing concerns society as a whole and that it is necessary for Europe to adopt measures in order to ensure a greater flexibility in working conditions. Finally, Mr Bushill-Matthews insisted on the necessity of leaving older people to decide on whether they wish to contribute economically and socially by working longer.

Representing the Council and more particularly the Austrian Federal Ministry for Social Protection, Generations and Consumer Protection, Mrs Winkler presented the conclusions of a Conference entitled "Active Ageing in Europe" which was held in Vienna on 8 and 9 March and dealt with healthy ageing. She recalled that active ageing through volunteer work could constitute a means to strengthen social relations as well as the physical and mental health of older people. Finally, Mrs Winkler underlined that lifelong learning for older workers was essential to their quality of life. Participation of older workers in the labour market is very positive for growth and competitiveness.

Mr Kiviniemi from DG Employment and Social Affairs of the European Commission, presented the Commission's actions on demographic ageing but insisted on the fact that questions linked to this issue remain of national competence. He reminded, inter alia, the necessity to modernise social protection schemes and to make full use of the possibilities offered by the Open Method of Coordination in the fields of pensions, inclusion, and long-term health care. He finally indicated that the Commission's Communication on demographic change is under preparation.

Finally, as a representative of the AGE platform, Mrs Patel explained the activities of the platform which aims at promoting the recognition of the role of families as carers not only of children but also of older persons. In addition, she presented the conclusions of a study which was conducted in several Member States, entitled "European Family Carers (EUROFAMCARE)" which focused on the role of families in providing care for the elderly. The study showed that the best strategy is probably one that offers a diversity of care enabling the elderly to remain at home, and which recognises the work of carers and offers a possibility of remuneration, thus making this activity more attractive.

Closing the meeting, Mrs Panayotopoulos - Cassiotou thanked the speakers and commented: "Today's discussions reflect the complexity of the question of demographic ageing but one should not forget the need of Member State financing of adequate measures which enable us to deal with ageing and preserve intergenerational solidarity".