There are discussions at EU level about the multiannual financial framework (MFF) for 2014-2020. With regard to this NNC sent an open letter to the responsible ministers with a set of recommendations for budget 2020. The recommendations were developed by Eurochild as part of their position paper which NNC translated and sent together with the open letter. 8 recommendations from the view of child well-being and children’s rights regarding the next EU Budget were identified:
1. Children’s rights need to be mentioned explicitly and mainstreamed in a holistic way across policy areas in the next multiannual financial framework.
2. A specific children’s budget line should be created, based on Article 3 of the Lisbon Treaty that ensures the promotion and implementation of children’s rights in the EU.
3. The fight against poverty and social exclusion needs to be a clear priority within the Budget 2020 and appropriate resource allocation has to be ensured to support the European Platform against Poverty.
4. The role of European civil society networks working towards the promotion and protection of children’s rights and well-being needs to be acknowledged and the next budget needs to be sustained for core funding of their operation.
5. The use of structural funds needs to have as a target to further early childhood education and care, as part of a broader European policy framework linking labour market policies, family-related leave, family support policies and formal education systems.
6. Eligibility of EU funding for de-institutionalisation needs to be ensured and safeguards put in place that it does not finance institutional child care but rather community-based and family care which includes the promotion of more progressive social services and social protection.
7. Macroeconomic conditionalities should not prevent European structural funds from reaching those most in need.
8. Stronger involvement of civil society in the allocation of structural funds at national level.
Photo: my-bg.info
