Childcare and the European Semester

The European Semester Process of economic policy coordination The Key events: –Annual growth survey (November) –Country reports (February) –National reform programmes (April) –Country specific recommendations (May)

Annual growth survey Sets out main economic policies and key themes Austerity – “fiscal consolidation” has been recurrent theme although this became “growth-friendly fiscal consolidation” and is now growth- and equity-friendly fiscal responsibility.” 2015 AGS admitted: “The way that Member States have gone about fiscal consolidation has not been very growth-friendly” and that “public investment was the main item targeted for cuts.” 2016 Joint Employment Report (part of AGS package) noted: “… public expenditure on education decreased in almost half of Member States and fell by 3.2% for the EU as a whole compared to 2010.”

AGS and childcare Childcare is mentioned in relation to women’s involvement in labour market in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2016 … in relation to social inclusion in 2013 and 2014 … more broadly as part of need for range of social policies in 2015 … and as part of call for social investment in 2016: “…it is essential that Member States promote social investment more broadly, including in healthcare, childcare, housing support and rehabilitation services to strengthen people's current and future capacities to engage in the labour market and adapt.”

Country reports European Commission analysis of national economic developments and other key trends as identified by the AGS Important stage in Semester – if it is not in the country report it won’t feature in the country specific recommendations In 2016 only seven country reports did not refer to early years education and care – Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Slovenia and Sweden – only the last two have met the Barcelona targets Eurochild evaluation: “strong focus on the quality and availability of early childhood education and care (ECEC) from a child rights perspective. Nearly 70% of all reports discussed the importance of participation in high quality ECEC and its impact on attaining successful educational outcomes and social inclusion, especially among migrant children”

National reform programmes National government responses to the main themes identified by the Annual Growth Survey and previous country specific recommendations In out of the 21 NRPs referred to childcare with 10 mentioning increased funding/supply. Only four referred to quality of care and only three mentioned employment quality or training

NRPs 2016 CountryB 0-3B 3+CSR NRP 2016 reference Comment Romania35213,14,15YI Poland54213,14YI Czech Rep57513,14,15Y Slovakia77413,14,15,16YI Bulgaria117114Y Greece1365 YG Hungary158713? Austria168613,14,15YI Malta ? Croatia1840 N Estonia209413,14,15YG Latvia2279 ? Lithuania2380 YI Italy239113? Cyprus2679 YG Germany278913,14YI, Q Ireland288914,15,16YI, Q, E UK297013,14,15,16YI, Q, E Finland3480 Y Slovenia3790 N Spain379316? France4096 YI Portugal4589 ? Netherlands4588 N Luxembourg4974 ? Belgium4998 YI Sweden5694 YG Denmark7095 N Barcelona targets and 3+ G=general reference – no detail I=Increase to funding/supply Q=quality of care E=employment quality/training

Country specific recommendations Recommendations proposed by Commission and endorsed by Council, addressing key economic and social challenges Debate about influence and impact New Commission has said it wants to streamline process – fewer recommendations and ones that can be implemented within months Childcare featured significantly in last four years

Country specific recommendations on childcare Country2014 CSREvaluation of progress 2015 CSREvaluation of progress 2016 CSR Czech RepYSomeY N GermanyYSubstantialN-N EstoniaYSomeY N IrelandYNoneYSomeY AustriaYSomeYLimitedN PolandYSomeN-N SlovakiaYLimitedYSomeY UKYLimitedYSomeY RomaniaYLimitedYSomeN SpainN-N-Y

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