On 3 June, we celebrated COFACE’s 50th birthday. And it was a triumph on all counts.

A triumph of attendance: over a hundred people, with many past members including the former Director General for Social Affairs at the Commission, Jean Degimbe, as well as past COFACE Presidents Kitty Harlin (Ireland) and Steen Lasson (Denmark).

A triumph of ambience: with many past members bringing personal testimony and stories, and distinguished receptions or meals laid on by the European Economic and Social Committee.

A political triumph, through a look back at the past and a look forward to the future. Looking back, Jean Degimbe spoke of COFACE’s decisive role in lobbying for parental leave and the first meeting of Family Ministers. Looking forward, Commissioner Vladimir Spidla followed by Director Jérôme Vignon stressed how right we had been to go down the path of working for the family dimension of measures, with representation in most Member States, targeted actions towards the different European Institutions, and a pluralist, non-discriminatory approach.

I should like to thank the representatives of the Commission, European Parliament and European Economic and Social Committee for joining us and for their kind words. My thanks also go to COFACE’s staff for their meticulous, careful and painstaking attention to all the technical details (the badges, documents and videos!) that seal the success of a meeting. But a celebration should not be a here today, gone tomorrow event. It must inform our future activities and enthuse us to carry them out.

The setting-up of our five “working groups”, which have all met once during this first half, was a great decision by our Administrative Council because it lets all our Confederation’s member organizations get involved in the action of the different sectors. Comprising volunteers from all points of the European compass, these groups are melting pots of activities, ideas, and proposals. There is still room in them for other organizations, so that the whole of COFACE is present in them. These groups’ contributions - especially through the questionnaires that we ask you to fill in - will be the product of all the organizations of all sizes and all historical choices. In this way, they will truly be the voice of activism, of “family activists”. They will be examined by the Administrative Council in December to turn them into COFACE policy positions. Carry on giving us your participation, ideas and experiences.

Yves Roland-Gosselin,
President of COFACE 

2008

NEWSLETTER 2 (APR-MAY-JUIN)
NEWSLETTER 1 (JAN-FEB-MAR)

2007

NEWSLETTER 4 (OCT-NOV-DEC)
NEWSLETTER 3 (JUL-AUG-SEP)
NEWSLETTER 2 (APR-MAY-JUN)
NEWSLETTER 1 (JAN-FEB-MAR)