(22 November 2018) The European Parliament interest group on informal care discussed the measures that need to be put in place to ensure quality care is available for all that need it. The European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR) provides the necessary basis to make progress but needs to be backed with commitment, concrete measures and resources.
Many speakers called for the European Parliament and the Commission to champion a new 'EU Right2Care' strategy backed with national implementation programmes. Key elements of the strategy would include greater public investment in care services, generous work-life balance policies, and a stronger emphasis on the quality of care.
EPSU and others stressed that the quality of care cannot be disassociated from quality of work and that quality should be seen in a systematic way. Social partners and governments need to combat increasing precarious forms of care work and build strong regulatory, financial and collective bargaining frameworks that ensure that care work is valued and of good quality. Work-life balance policies are important too to ensure that both men and women are able to combine work and family responsibilities.
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