The Commission welcomes the adoption of two Council Recommendations on early childhood education and care & on affordable high-quality long-term care, as part of the European Care Strategy at yesterday’s meeting of employment and social affairs ministers (EPSCO).

With this adoption, Member States committed to ensure quality, affordable and accessible care services from childhood to old age and improve the situation for both care receivers and the people caring for them, professionally or informally.

This includes a revision of the Barcelona Targets in the Recommendation on early childhood education and care with an overall target of 45% for participation in early childhood education for children under the age of 3.

Investment in care services and carers' rights is crucial to enable people with caring responsibilities to participate in the labour market, ensure fair working conditions and wages for care staff.

This is important for gender equality, making it easier for 7.7 million women, who are currently out of the labour market because of informal care responsibilities, to access jobs.

It is also crucial for ensuring equal opportunities for all children, in particular for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Agreement on minimum income

Ministers also reached a political agreement on a Council Recommendation on adequate minimum income ensuring active inclusion.

The agreement sets out how Member States can modernise their minimum income schemes to reduce poverty and promote labour market integration.

The Recommendation is set to be formally adopted early next year.

Furthermore, ministers agreed on a general approach to start negotiations on the Commission’s proposal on protecting workers from asbestos by significantly lowering the occupational exposure limit to asbestos.

This is part of the Commission’s comprehensive approach to better protect people and the environment from asbestos and ensure an asbestos-free future.

Finally, ministers approved conclusions on gender equality in disrupted economies, with a focus on the young generation and on the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the labour market.