FAMILY OBSERVER 2/2000

Employment & social affairs
European Commission ■izhizifizi.
show that nowadays young mentally committed to an
people are staying much longer inclusive and cohesive society.
with their parents. Last but not
least, a recent study on several In fact over the last ten years,
EU Member States has shown some important social challenges
that problems related to the have emerged. The European
family environment in which population is ageing. Across
children are raised, may be one Europe, women have a new role
of the main causes, together with to play in the economic and
youth unemployment, of the social life. The combination of
increase in delinquency and increasing education and
higher crime rates observed changing attitudes means that
among youngsters. employment rates of women are
converging to those of men.
In January 2000, I was en­Between 1988 and 1998, they These are some aspects showing Economic, technological, and
trusted with the challenging rose from 45 percent of the that the role of the family re­societal developments have been
working­age population to 51 mains particularly important for task of chairing the co­ordi­remarkable over the last few
nation team of the European percent whereas those of men the future of our society. I am decades. Today, more than ever
declined from 74 percent to 71 confident that the new political Observatory on Family before, it is generally accepted
Matters. Established to moni­percent. At the European level, climate following the European that there are important inter­
this increased participation of Council of Lisbon will create tor the development of families actions between these trends. As
in the European Union, the females is likely to continue. more favourable conditions for the future unfolds, we need to
However, women still have promoting the debate on all Observatory is a key actor in ensure that the positive develop­
the European system of social particular problems in gaining issues related to social cohesion ments, like those provided by the
equal access to the labour mar­ and social inclusion including reporting. To fulfil its extensive information revolution are ex­
mandate, the Observatory ket, and also in reconciling population trends and family ploited to the full, and not
professional and family life. issues. works along several lines. allowed to create tensions in our
Every year a special topic is societies. The Lisbon extra­
selected as monitoring focus. ordinary summit Employment, Even though changes in lifestyle The European Union has an
For 2000, we analysed fertility Economic Reform and Social have been very significant, it important role to play in
trends, a topic also addressed Cohesion — towards a Europe of would be a big mistake to think identifying the similarities and
in the last issue of the Family Innovation and Knowledge has that the role of the family is differences in the ways that
been an important step in recog­ declining in importance. Social Member States react to these
nising the role of social policy in trends prove quite the opposite. changes. It can also keep stimu­
the strategy for the European With increased life expectancy, lating a Union­wide debate on
Union. By setting social cohesion it is not unusual to find today the subject of the family by objective, the Family Observer is
as one of the main elements of three or four generations living encouraging Member States to called on to provide its valuable
the European strategy for the at the same time, and increased share information and pool their contribution, by serving as a
future, the Lisbon Summit has demographic ageing is set to experiences while, at the same platform for discussion and
reaffirmed the European citizen make this even more common. time, respecting the principle exchange of experience and
that the Union remains funda­ Moreover, recent family statistics of subsidiarity. Within this last ideas between Member States
The Family Observer is a publication of the European Observatory on Family Matters. It is produced on behalf of the European Commission as part of the series "Employment
and social affairs".
The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of the European Commission, Directorate General for Employment and Social Affairs.
All gender­specific terms used in the text also comprise the other gender.
The Family Observer is published in English, French and German. Reproduction is authorised except for commercial use, provided the source is acknowledged. For more
information on the Observatory, please visit: http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/family/observatory/home.html
Idea: Irene M. Kernthaler. Editors: Irene M. Kernthaier, Sylvia Trnka. Editorial assistant: Robert Bergknapp. Address: Austrian Institute for Family Studies,
Gonzagagasse 19/8, 1010 Vienna, Austria. Design and layout: Rudolf Heller, Edith Vosta, Ingrid Binder. Illustrations: Christine S. Prantauer
Translations: Eva Holzmair­Ronge, Gertrude Maurer, Gertrud Mayerhofer, Andrée Pazmandy, Sylvia Trnka. Linguistic editing of English texts: Suzanna Stephens
A great deal of additional information on the European Union is available on the Internet. It can be accessed through the Europa server (http://europa.eu.int). If you are
interested in receiving the electronic newsletter "Esmail" from the European Commission's Directorate General "Employment and social affairs", please send an e­mail to
empl­esmail@cec.eu.int. The newsletter is published on a regular basis in English, French and German.
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2000
© European Communities, 2000
Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Printed in Belgium
Family Observer. No. 2/2000 Portuguese Observer. In 2001, the Obser­ Contents
vatory's work will concentrate
EU presidency
on social quality and family
forms. The objective is to Monitoring: Under the Portuguese EU- and family life for both genders
provide the European Com­
presidency, the European con­ and create conditions that The family roller-coaster
mission and the public at large
ference on Maternity, paternity enable fathers to become
ride 4 with information on develop­
and reconciling professional increasingly integrated into
ments in the areas of family
Family impact family life. Paternity leaves play and family life was held at the
and partnership, taking into
University of Évora in May an important role in this statements: Ireland 8 account aspects of gender and
connection. 2000. The main results are
generational relations. The
summarised below: • With reference to Com­
Observatory's homepage
munity Law, the Treaty of Family policy:
(http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_ • A balanced participation of
Amsterdam already stipulates
social/family/observatory/home.hrml) Family interest groups women and men in profes­
the equality between women
and the Family Observer ate sional and family life is a and their role in shaping and men by its new measures
the main channels for dissemi­ fundamental prerequisite for
to simultaneously implement European policy 14 nating the results of our work. the equality between women
the stronger participation of
We hope that this strategy will and men.
fathers in family life and of
not only contribute to a
• Motherhood, valued highly mothers in working life; the Equal opportunities:
knowledge-based policy in
in society, must not lead to the legal bases are contained in
Europe but will also enrich the European discrimination of women on articles 2, 3, 137 and 141.
public debate on the role of
the labour market. citizenship? 22 • Promoting the reconciliation family in our society.
• The time invested in paid
of professional and family life
and unpaid work must be
has the following advantages:
Social Report 2000: approximately the same for
- It creates new jobs in care
Rudolf Richter women and men.
How social is Europe? 32 services for children, the
President, Austrian Institute • As long as women have to
elderly and other persons
for Family Studies take on the lion's share of
dependent on care.
Chairman, European family work, there will not be Flashlights:
- It makes work places more
Observatory on Family true equality between women
attractive for employees, Family research
Matters and men at work.
increases productivity, and
in Europe 41 • However, cultural resistances
decreases absenteeism and
are particularly deep-rooted in Belgium 41 sick-leaves.
this area and solutions have to
Denmark 42
be adjusted to the realities in Maria do Céu Cunha Reso on demographic issues and
the different countries. President, CITE (Commission Finland 42 family matters.
• National and European laws for Equality in Labour and
Gabrielle Clotuche, Germany 42
must take due account of the Employment, Ministry for Director of Social Policy, DG for
Portugal 43 reconciliation of professional Equality)
Employment and Social Affairs,
European Commission
The Tyrolian artist Christine S. Prantauer, introduced to you in the
Dear reader f