EESC IN A FLASH with Kinga Joó - The European Care Strategy

The European Care Strategy

Everyone needs care and provides care at one point in their life. And it is very important to have access to affordable, quality care services across Europe for everyone and this is what the European Care Strategy aims for.

The European Care strategy and the two proposals on early childhood education and care and long-term care have to be implemented primarily by Member States. We call for the development of a European Strategy for older persons and we also propose concrete, good practices in the opinion in terms of long-term care, such as new housing alternatives, for example, supervised or community-based housing, cohabitation or investment in digital infrastructure for prevention or for the development of telehealth and assistive technologies.

 

What is the European care guarantee proposed by EESC?

The care guarantee would be an instrument that would ensure lifelong access to care services. Such a guarantee could level out, for example, the huge disparities across Europe or within Member States in terms of availability of these services. We find it's very important to have quality services that are available and also affordable. So, these are the most important criteria for health care and care services.

What can be done to improve health professionals' mobility?

Recognition of skills and qualifications is certainly important and can benefit health care professionals. We note in our opinion that the strategy does not take enough into consideration the many undocumented migrants already providing care here in Europe and we suggest a focus on all care workers in Europe, regardless of their migration and residential status.

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EESC IN A FLASH with Kinga Joó