The meeting included an important national evidence on the plight of carers from Claire Cairns, from the Coalition of Carers in Scotland, as well as inputs from the European Commission: Ralf Jacob and Sven Matzke, for the Social Protection and Activation Systems Unit.
EAPN participated in the panel response with Social Platform and Eurocarers.
The meeting highlighted the key plight of carers in the EU as one of the fastest growing groups at risk of poverty. A disturbing picture emerges of carers, mainly women, and often from ethnic minorities and other excluded groups, who face increasing exclusion from the labour market, material deprivation and increasing physical and mental health difficulties as they try to juggle multiple roles.
Whilst the Commission is investing in research on long-term care, and assessing the adequacy and efficiency of social protection systems, the bigger picture of the role of care: who does it, how it’s paid for and supported, how work/life balance is achieved, needs to be put firmly on the EU agenda.
The meeting concluded by confirming interest of the Interest Group to pursue pursue proposals on a resolution supporting a Directive for Carers.
see here list of MEPs involved: http://www.eurocarers.org/euactivities_mepsinterestgroups.php
See agenda of the meeting here below:
Meeting of the European Parliament Interest Group on Carers
Date: 4 February 2015, 13.00 – 14.30
Venue: European Parliament – Room PHS1C47
Topic: Carers and EU action in the field of social exclusion
AGENDA
Welcome and introduction to the Interest Group on Carers
- Marian Harkin MEP
- Sirpa Pietikainen MEP
- Jean Lambert MEP
- Heinz K Becker MEP
Carers and social exclusion
- Claire Cairns, Network Coordinator
The Coalition of Carers in Scotland
Carers in EU initiatives on poverty and social exclusion
- Fritz von Nordheim, Deputy Head of Unit Social Protection and Activatio Systems, European Commission , DG EMPL
- Sven Matzke, Team Leader, Unit Social Protection and Activation Systems, European Commission, DG EMPL
Panel response :
John Dunne, President, Eurocarers
- Sian Jones, Policy Coordinator, EAPN
- Pierre Baussand, Director, Platform of European Social NGOs
Open Discussion
Conclusions and close
- Marian Harkin MEP
- Sirpa Pietikainen MEP
- Jean Lambert MEP
- Heinz K Becker MEP