EU Alliance statement the European Commission’s proposal for the Child Guarantee
On the 8 April, the EU Alliance statement was presented to the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) attachés and partners of the EU Alliance for Investing in Children. This is following a recommendation from the Council for the establishment of a Child Guarantee.
Organised in cooperation with the Portuguese Presidency of the Council, a debate was held in order to fully assess the alliance’s position. With 18 million children across the EU at risk of growing up in poverty and social exclusion, this statement is supported by EAPN
Key demands from the statement:
- Adopt the Child Guarantee Council Recommendation as a matter of priority.
- Ensure that the Child Guarantee starts being implemented within six months from the adoption of the Child Guarantee Council Recommendation.
- Stakeholders as well as children and parents participate meaningfully in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Action Plans.
- Access to healthy nutrition should not be only linked to school settings.
- Children have equal opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities – not only in school-based activities.
- EU Member States set ambitious targets in their fight against child poverty.
- The Child Guarantee is properly monitored and feeds into the European Semester annually.
- Support a child rights approach in tackling poverty and the fight against all forms of discrimination, segregation and bullying of children and their families when trying to access key rights, resources, and services.
- Ensure that no child is placed in institutions and reinforce the transition from institutional to community-based care.
