Here you will see news from Europe, from civil society, from research, highlighting emerging trends from local to international level relevant for families of today.
COFACE member, the Association of Germany Family organisations, published an open letter on 12th March 2025 together with other organisations, directed at the federal chairpersons, general secretaries and the chairpersons of the parliamentary groups in the...
The European Commission brings relief to European consumers and businesses with Action Plan to save €260 billion annually by 2040.
The childcare gap remains one of the most pressing challenges facing new parents across Europe today. This gap arises following the birth of a child, when well-paid parental leave has been exhausted, but access to state-supported full-time Early Childhood Education and Care is not yet available. Read this new Factsheet produced by the European Observatory on Family Policy.
The European Commission's Directorate General for Education and Culture (DG EAC) published the final report of its Fifth European Summit which is an annual event attended by EU officials, member states ministers and education stakeholders. The report summarises the main topics discussed at this high-level event which focuses on key trends in education and training.
The Eurobarometer is a collection of cross-country public opinion surveys conducted regularly on behalf of the EU Institutions since 1974. In a newly released Eurobarometer survey, it is revealed that most EU citizens overwhelmingly support strong action at EU and national level and more social spending.
The European Child Guarantee, to reduce child poverty and social exclusion, requires that the individual EU Member States each develop a National Action Plan (NAP) with country-specific measures for implementation. Member States had to submit their NAP by the 15th of March 2022. One year after the deadline for Member States to submit their NAP, these plans are still missing from eight Member States (Austria, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia).
Trigger warning: homicide-suicide
Genitori Tosti, COFACE Disability member organisation, calls upon the Italian Government and Parliament to take swift and responsible action to finalise the draft legislation on the recognition and support of family caregivers and to provide all the services necessary to ensure that those who care for their family members are never left alone.
The main task of the High-Level Group was to analyse the expected impacts of megatrends such as demographic changes, resulting in a shrinking workforce and an ageing population, transformations on the labour market and the digital and green transitions, as well as the emergence of new risks on the social protection and on the welfare systems.
While single motherhood does not automatically mean vulnerability, statistics, and testimonies show that this status puts women at increased risk of poverty and social exclusion. On this International women’s rights day, COFACE Families Europe is calling on the EU and Member States to act now for the economic and social rights of single mothers.
