European’s Recovery: Eurocarers’ contribution to the debate

At a time when the European Union is preparing to adopt a Care Strategy, in response to blatant weaknesses of the current long-term care provision across Europe, it is necessary to look into the European financial tools put at the disposal of the member states, and ask for better prioritisation of investments in care services.

Eurocarers Secretariat, together with members from the Netherlands (Vilans) and Ireland (Family Carers Ireland) participated actively in the 2022 European Semester structured dialogue with civil society organised by the European Commission last 17 and 18 February 2022. We made the case for a supportive European monitoring framework on long-term care accessibility, availability, and quality,  that would respect national specificities and build on encouraging reforms already undertaken in some countries.

Earlier, Eurocarers had launched an analysis of the 2021 National Recovery and Resilience Plans, providing some pointers as to how the unprecedented efforts undertaken at the European level to rebuild resilient societies should also apply to Care, if they are to reach their target. Most of the plans, be it by lack of focus, political will, or sufficient resources, indeed fail to meet the challenges faced by the formal care sector and by informal carers. Our analysis underlines the main gaps, as well as positive examples of countries that have seized the opportunity of the Recovery and Resilience Fund to improve or redesign their care systems. The adoption of the much-needed EU Care Strategy, later on this year, must translate into greater investment in Long-term Care through the Semester process, in line with common values and goals, and in response to specific needs at national and regional levels.

Read the Position Paper “Without greater investment in Care, the European Union will fail to rebuild resilient societies at the service of people” here .