Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/1004 establishing a European Child Guarantee

Summary:

Recommendation (EU) 2021/1004 - adopted by the Council of the European Union on 14 June 2021 - aimed at the establishment of a European Child Guarantee.

Further information:

The aim of this Recommendation is to prevent and combat social exclusion by guaranteeing access of children in need to a set of key services, thereby also contributing to upholding the rights of the child by combating child poverty and fostering equal opportunities. It is recommended to EU Member States that effective access is provided, free of charge, to:

• Early childhood education and care;
• Education and school-based activities;
• At least one healthy meal each school day;
• Healthcare.

The Recommendation also suggests that Member States provide children in need with effective access to healthy nutrition and adequate housing.

This proposal was adopted by the European Commission on 24 March 2021, alongside the publication of a new EU strategy on the rights of the child. The draft text was adopted by the Council of the European Union on 14 June 2021 and published in the Official Journal on 22 June 2021.

Official

EUR-LEX: COM(2021)137: Proposal for a Council Recommendation establishing a European Child Guarantee https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=COM:2021:137:FIN

EUR-LEX: SWD(2021)62: Staff Working Document accompanying the Proposal https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2021:62:FIN

European Commission: DG Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion: European Child Guarantee https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1428&langId=en

European Commission: Press Release, 24/03/2021: Commission proposes action to uphold child rights and support children in need https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_1226

European Commission: Questions and Answers: Comprehensive Strategy on the Rights of the Child and European Child Guarantee (24 March 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_21_1245

UNICEF: Event, 10/06/2021: Making the European Child Guarantee a Reality. Insights from testing the European Child Guarantee https://www.unicef.org/eca/stories/making-european-child-guarantee-reality-insights-testing-european-child-guarantee

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 14/06/2021: Access to key services for children in need: Council agrees European Child Guarantee https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2021/06/14/access-to-key-services-for-children-in-need-council-agrees-european-child-guarantee/

European Commission: DG Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion: News, 14/06/2021: Council adopts European Child Guarantee https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=89&newsId=10024&furtherNews=yes

Portuguese Council Presidency: News, 15/06/2021: EU Council approves European Child Guarantee https://www.2021portugal.eu/en/news/eu-council-approves-european-child-guarantee/

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News

The Brussels Times, 24/02/2020: EU-wide child guarantee in the pipeline but no funding in place https://www.brusselstimes.com/news/eu-affairs/96869/eu-wide-child-guarantee-in-the-pipeline-but-no-funding-in-place/

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Commentary and Analysis

EurActiv: Opinion, 17/02/2020: European Child Guarantee can be EU’s answer to child poverty. https://www.euractiv.com/section/economy-jobs/opinion/european-child-guarantee-can-be-eus-answer-to-child-poverty/

COFACE Families Europe: Newsroom, 25/03/2021: European Child Guarantee: Putting children and their families at the centre of the COVID-19 recovery plans http://www.coface-eu.org/education/european-child-guarantee-putting-children-and-their-families-at-the-centre-of-the-covid-19-recovery-plans/

CESI: News, 25/03/2021: CESI welcomes the European Child Guarantee: For children, with children – and teachers and carers https://www.cesi.org/posts/cesi-welcomes-the-european-child-guarantee-for-children-with-children-and-teachers-and-carers/

Eurocities: Latest, 25/03/2021: No child should be left behind, an EU Guarantee? https://eurocities.eu/latest/no-child-should-be-left-behind-an-eu-guarantee/

Eurochild: Policy Briefing, 31/03/2021: Eurochild analysis of the European Commission proposal for establishing a European Child Guarantee https://www.eurochild.org/uploads/2021/04/Eurochild-analysis-of-EC-proposal-for-Child-Guarantee.pdf

ECRE: News, 02/04/2021: The European Commission has Published its Proposal for a Child Guarantee https://www.ecre.org/the-european-commission-has-published-its-proposal-for-a-child-guarantee/

EU Alliance for Investing in Children, 07/04/2021: EU Alliance for Investing in Children statement on the European Commission’s proposal for a Council Recommendation establishing the Child Guarantee https://www.eurochild.org/uploads/2021/04/EU-Alliance-statement-on-the-EC-Child-Guarantee-Proposal.pdf

89 Initiative: Policy Report, 09/04/2021: The European Child Guarantee https://89initiative.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/E.-Balazs-The-European-Child-Guarantee-1.pdf

Euronews: Next, 09/06/2021: The European initiative guaranteeing a way out of poverty for all children https://www.euronews.com/next/2021/06/09/the-european-initiative-guaranteeing-a-way-out-of-poverty-for-all-children

ETUCE: News, 11/06/2021: ETUCE position on Establishing a European Child Guarantee https://www.csee-etuce.org/en/news/education-policy/4471-etuce-position-on-establishing-a-european-child-guarantee

EU Roma Network: News, 15/06/2021: Council adopts Recommendation on a European Child Guarantee https://www.euromanet.eu/news/council-adopts-recommendation-on-a-european-child-guarantee/

Social Europe, 21/06/2021: Child Guarantee — for most, but not all https://socialeurope.eu/child-guarantee-for-most-but-not-all

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