EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 88/238

(2004/C 88 E/0241)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0868/04

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(22 March 2004)

Subject: Large families

In its most recent report with a view to the Spring European Council, ‘Delivering Lisbon — Reforms for the Enlarged Union’ (1), the Commission pointed out (in point 2.4.1 on reinforcing social cohesion) that the phenomenon of poverty ‘is very closely linked to unemployment as it affects 38 % of the unemployed. Large families, elderly women living alone, and single-parent (71 % of whom are women) families’.

The European Council has set itself the aim of giving decisive impetus to reducing poverty by 2010 and the Commission has, to this end, campaigned on various occasions for the adoption of National Social Inclusion Strategies (2). In this context, it points out that ‘those living in large households with three or more dependent children are particularly exposed to income poverty risk, with Ireland, Italy, Spain and Portugal displaying the highest risk (between 34 % and 49 %, against a EU average of 27 %)’.

Can the Commission answer the following:

— given that large families especially are particularly vulnerable and exposed to the risk of poverty, what measures has the Commission suggested that Member States take to remedy this problem and promote full implementation of the Lisbon Strategy for all? Does the Commission agree that this particularly vulnerable status is partly due to the fact that many social policies and some aspects of tax policies are devised for individuals or two-person households, thereby creating objective discrimination against families, who are penalised systematically and in proportion to their size;

— does the Commission intend to instruct its services to carry out a study and submit proposals for the definition of more effective solutions and, in particular, to aim at transversal promotion of the sharing of best practice? Does the Commission consider it appropriate to adopt Community-wide measures through the open coordination method?

Answer given by Mr Dimas on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2004)

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that large families are particularly vulnerable and exposed to the risk of poverty. In addition, these are households that, together with single parent households, are the most likely to transmit poverty and social exclusion to their children. In this respect tax-benefit systems play an important role and the effects on large families vary considerably across Member States, depending on the importance given to large families regarding the provision of cash benefits, allowances and tax credits. In the framework of the common objectives adopted in Nice, which call on Member States to implement actions to preserve family solidarity in all its forms and to move towards the elimination of social exclusion among children, the Commission and the Council have recently recommended in their Joint Report on social inclusion that Member States develop as a key policy priority over the next two year period a particular focus on the elimination of poverty and social exclusion among children.

A range of policies may be required for that purpose. These include: ensuring access to quality employment; improving the net income of low wage earners with families, whether through tax, social protection systems or minimum wage legislation; increasing income support for families with children; improving the affordability, quality and availability of childcare facilities; and providing access for all to decent and sanitary housing, as well as the basic services necessary to live (for example, electricity, water and heating).

However, the Commission does not consider it appropriate to adopt Community-wide measures through the open method of co-ordination as it has no legal competence to do so. Responsibility for the relevant key policy areas is the competence of Member States.

The Commission has been, and will continue to be, active in promoting the transnational exchange of learning and best practice in this area between Member States through a variety of actions:

— it encourages the sharing of best practice in relation to child poverty through the Transnational Exchange Programme being supported under the Community Action Programme on social inclusion and through its support for a European Network of organisations active on the issue of child poverty;

— it launched a comparative study on policies to tackle child poverty which is being undertaken by the University of Dortmund. The final report will be available soon;

— it finances the European Observatory on the Social Situation, Demography and the Family, which monitors demographic, socio-economic and policy trends across the Union, with a particular emphasis on family-related issues and their policy implications;

— it develops a study programme and carries out analysis on social trends and demography, including family and poverty-related aspects, in the context of the annual report: ‘The social situation in the European Union’.

(1) COM(2004) 29 final/2.

(2) COM(2003) 773.