Commission aims to promote solidarity between the generations

The Commission’s Communication on ‘Promoting solidarity between the generations’ aims to support Member States in meeting the demographic challenges of a declining birth rate, in particular the need to ensure that European workers achieve a better work-life balance, so that families can combine work with their childcare commitments. The communication highlights the importance of promoting flexible working time.

On 10 May 2007, the Commission adopted a Communication on Promoting solidarity between the generations (COM(2007) 244 final (90Kb PDF)) as part of the follow-up to its earlier Communication on The demographic future of Europe – from challenge to opportunity (COM(2006) 571 final (103Kb PDF)). It sets out five areas to meet the demographic challenge: the promotion of demographic renewal; more jobs and longer working lives; higher productivity; integrating migrants; and sustainable public finances. In relation to the reconciliation of work, private and family life, the Communication points to the following :

• financial support to cover family-related costs;

• high quality care services for children and dependent older people;

• flexible working hours with appropriate leave arrangements.

Aims of Communication

The Communication aims to assist Member States in meeting the demographic challenges of an ageing population and the need to ensure that European workers achieve a better work-life balance, so that families can combine work with their childcare commitments. Member States should encourage policies which support parents in the raising of their children and allow them to have the number of children they desire, rather than the number that they think are feasible, given current work–life balance constraints.

The Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Vladimír Špidla, has commented that ‘far too many men and particularly women in Europe still have to make difficult choices between family life and a successful career’ and that the conditions must be created for people to have both. Mr Špidla also notes that ‘women continue to bear the lion’s share of care responsibilities’; he warns that, unless stronger emphasis is put on gender equality and on the promotion of better work–life balance, ‘low birth rates will persist’. He refers to data that reveal an employment rate gap of 14.2% between women with children and those without (Europa press release, 30 May 2007). The data also show that few men take advantage of existing provisions for parental leave. With regard to the latter, the Communication identifies six areas where leave provisions could be improved:

• incentives for fathers to take parental leave;

• employment rights prohibiting discrimination in relation to the uptake of parental leave;

• duration of parental leave;

• flexibility in relation to the uptake of the leave;

• the age bracket of the child for which leave provision is available;

• payment during parental leave.

Mr Špidla highlighted that differences remain in the approach taken by the social partners. Based on the responses to a first stage consultation initiated in October 2006, he notes that mainly worker representatives see a need for action at all levels, including EU level, while employer organisations mainly argue for action at national, sectoral, regional and/or company level (Europa press release, 30 May 2007). Additional difficulties emerge due to the existence of different types of provision in the Member States, and the Communication is strongly in favour of adopting measures that would address these issues.

Communication calls for flexible working time

In the context of employment policies, the Communication encourages Member States, the social partners and civil society, as well as the EU, to assist in the construction of flexible working time, with appropriate work schedules and leave arrangements. According to the Communication, Member States that favour family-friendly policies in areas such as equal access to employment, parental leave for men and women and equal pay generally have higher birth rates, and a higher proportion of women in the labour market. The Commission has also adopted the second stage consultation with worker and employer representatives on how to achieve a better balance between work, private life and family life. The social partners are required to provide the Commission with their opinion or, where appropriate, a recommendation for proposals on new types of leave together with improvements to maternity leave.

The Communication also sets out how the European Alliance for Families will act as a platform for the exchange of knowledge and experience between Member States on the best ways to support families through policy and other measures. The Alliance was established on the initiative of the German Federal Minister of Family Affairs, Ursula von der Leyen, under the German Presidency at the end of May 2007 (German Presidency press release, 30 May 2007).

Sonia McKay, Working Lives Research Institute