Press Release: Childcare: Commission calls on Member States to do more

Member States will need to step up their efforts to improve childcare provisions if the EU is to reach its 75% employment rate target by 2020, said the European Commission in a report released on 3 June 2013.

The progress report finds that just eight countries have met both targets agreed at EU level for availability and accessibility of childcare services. The so-called ‘Barcelona targets’, agreed by EU leaders in 2002, say that childcare should be provided for 90% of children between three years old and the mandatory school age, and for 33% of children under three. Meanwhile, a new study also released by the Commission sheds light on the phenomenon of the ‘gender pension gap’, showing that on average across the EU, women’s pensions are 39% lower than men’s.

European Commission: Rapid: MEMO/13/490: Q&A: Report on childcare provision in the Member States and study on the gender pension gap http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-490_en.htm

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