European Commission releases the European Care Package – What’s in it for Europe’s Roma?
On 7 September 2021, the European Commission put forward the much-awaited European Care Strategy, aimed at ensuring quality, affordable, and accessible care services across the European Union, as well as at improving the situation for both care receivers and the people caring for them, professionally or informally.
The Strategy consists mainly of a Communication as well as two proposals for Council Recommendations, one on childcare (revising the Barcelona targets) and one on long-term care. It further includes a Staff Working Document, summarising the input received during the consultations carried out in preparation of the package.
ERGO Network has closely engaged with the preparation of the Strategy during 2022, with a view to raise awareness on the specific concerns of both Roma care givers and Roma care receivers. Among other advocacy efforts, we contributed to the call for evidence issued by the European Commission in April this year and have fed these messages also through other key lobbying opportunities. We have reviewed the proposed European Care Strategy in light of this input.
- Read here our full analysis of the European Care Package!
Access to care throughout the life cycle is a fundamental right, and the European Care Strategy marks an important turning point in European social policy. ERGO Network welcomes that the Strategy is rooted in a rights-based approach, and includes commitments to improve quality, accessibility, affordability, and working conditions in care services, as well as to provide comprehensive support for informal and family carers.
The Roma are one of the most disadvantaged groups in Europe in what concerns their access to both childcare as well as to long-term care. While the Strategy pledges to improve access to early childhood education and care for Roma children, in synergy with the EU Roma Strategic Framework and the EU Anti-Racism Action Plan, the same consideration is not afforded to Roma adults needing long-term care, nor are Roma and other racialised carers sufficiently included.
Moreover, the fight against intersectional discrimination on all grounds (including antigypsyism, sexism, ageism, ableism, and stigma associated to living in poverty), is not mainstreamed in a comprehensive way through the package. This dimension should have been a core element of the Strategy, as leaving it out will perpetuate a key barrier to accessing and providing care.
ERGO Network expresses its hope that these gaps will be remedied through implementation, lest Europe’s Roma be left behind once more, and stands ready to support these efforts at both EU and national level.
For more information about our work on the European Care Strategy, please contact Amana Ferro (a.ferro@ergonetwork.org), Senior Policy Adviser in the ERGO Network staff.