Towards a European Care Strategy

COVID-19 has highlighted the essential nature of care in our society and the need for a robust and future-proofed strategy at EU level to complement and bolster Member State action in the care sector.

Back in April 2020, the EPP Group was the first to recognise the challenge and called for a European Care Strategy, reacting to COVID-19 and the disproportionate burden it was putting on people involved in formal and informal care. In July 2021, we launched our position paper. In September, our lead MEPs wrote to President von der Leyen to include care in her SOTEU priorities and indeed, on 15 September 2021, the Commission President issued a committment that the Commission would come forward with a new European Care Strategy.

As Commission Vice-President Dubravka Šuica is commencing work in this area, it is a crucial time to gauge the temperature on the key elements that need to be addressed by the Strategy.

The exchange will centre around the core themes of care provision and the need for targets and data to reform and improve the care sector for those who give and receive care. The opportunity to harness EU funds to improve care services and infrastructure, and the opportunity for citizens to avail of growing care sector jobs, while promoting gender equality in the sector, will also be a focus.

The event will be livestreamed.