Subject: Ensuring the safety and well-being of the children of mobile workers
On 19 June 2020, Parliament adopted a resolution on European protection of cross-border and seasonal workers in the context of the COVID-19 crisis.
Companies in the EU hire between 800 000 and 1 million seasonal workers per year.
17 million EU citizens live and work in an EU country other than their own.
Many workers have to leave their children in the care of their grandparents or distant relatives or even place them in orphanages because of their employment contracts, leading to long-term negative psychosocial consequences.
Even more concerning is the fact that many parents who leave their country for work do not report this to their children’s school or any other public institution.
The exact numbers of ‘Euro orphans’ in Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece and the Baltic states are unknown.
The consequences and health implications of COVID-19 on left-behind children is alarming and countries across Europe and Central Asia will see the most significant increase in child poverty by the end of 2020, according to UNICEF.
Is the Commission considering any specific guidelines for the Member States to mitigate social and health risks, enabling children of mobile workers to live safely in their country of origin while their parents are working abroad, but also in the long term?
Answer given by Mr Schmit on behalf of the European Commission
(9 October 2020)
While the Commission is not issuing guidelines for a specific group of children, it is taking several measures benefitting all children, including the group of children referred to.
The Commission supports Member States in their efforts to ensure affordable and quality childcare and support to children, under principle 11 of the European Pillar of Social Rights. It has provided guidance in its recommendation “Investing in children: breaking the cycle of disadvantage” (1).
The EU funds, notably the European Social Fund, support the Member States with financial resources. For the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027, the Commission proposes that Member States allocate at least 5% of their European Social Fund+ resources for measures that reduce child poverty and ensure equal opportunities for children. Funds from Next Generation EU — the EU Recovery plan — will also be made available to Member States to tackle the social and economic consequences of the crisis.
In 2021, the Commission will adopt an initiative on a Child Guarantee as well as a comprehensive strategy on the rights of the child. The Child Guarantee will provide a policy framework at EU level and will guide Member States’ efforts to ensure that children in need have access to key services with a view to tackling poverty and ensuring equal opportunities among children.
EC law on free movement of workers (2) guarantees the access to the host Member States’ general educational, apprenticeship and vocational training courses under the same conditions as the nationals of that State, if the children of the EU worker are residing in its territory. The EU worker shall enjoy the same social and tax advantages as national workers, also with regard to family members.
⋅1∙ https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1060&langId=en
⋅2∙ Regulation (EU) No 492/2011 on freedom of movement for workers within the Union.