2018 Expert Group on Reconciliation Paris

Thursday, 12 April 2018

9:30 – 13:00        Session 1: Focus on Work-Life Balance in France (open)
                                   (open mini-seminar with a focus on France)

09:30 – Welcome address by Jean-Philippe Vallat, Director of the research, studies and political action department, UNAF

09:40 -11:15 – Panel discussion 1 – The present state and the future of the French Family Policy

• Frédérique Leprince Deputy Director of the mission of European and international relations & cooperation of the  National Family Allowances Office (Caisse nationale des allocations familiales, CNAF)
• Henri Sterdyniak, Economist, French Observatory of Economic Research (Observatoire français des conjonctures économiques, OFCE)
• Mériadec Rivière, Member of the Board, President of the Economics-Consumer-Employment department, UNAF

11:30-13:00 – Panel discussion 2 – What is at stake on family/work reconciliation in France ?

• Servane Martin, head of mission, Early Childhood Education and Care policy, UNAF
• Olivier Gérard, Coordinator, “NUM” pole (Family and ICT), UNAF
• Yvon Sérieyx, head of mission, “ECO” pole, UNAF

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13:00 – 14:00     Lunch
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14:00 – 17:00     Session 2: The EU Work-Life Balance Package (closed – for COFACE members only)

14.00 – 15.30     Discussion 1: State of play at EU level and the next steps

One year after the package and our meeting in Helsinki. Presentation of updates on the WLB Directive and ECEC Recommendation by the COFACE Secretariat (Paola Panzeri)
– Institutional setting: procedures, where are we at? What will happen next?
– Stakeholders at EU level: WLB Coalition, Social Partners and other NGOs: with whom we are working and how it is going?

15.30 – 15.45     Coffee Break

15.45 – 17.00     Discussion 2: National advocacy and negotiations for WLB Directive

Questions for Members:
– Is the directive discussed in your country? If, so, in which terms? Are there national reforms or actions in the areas covered by the WLB directive (leaves, flexible working arrangements..)? Are there civil society advocacy initiatives ongoing?
– Have you taken any initiative to support these measures that you want to share with the other members?
– What to expect and when to act key dates and activities until end of 2018 (COFACE, Members, joint….)

Friday, 13 April 2018

9:30-13:00Session 3: Transnational exchanges: complementarity of legislation and care services – policy and funding (closed – for COFACE members only)

9:30 – 11:00        Discussion 1: Early Childhood Education and Care

Questions for Members:
– What is the situation in your country in terms of ECEC service provision (enough services, their quality, their accessibility, affordability..). What would be needed?
– Has there been any recent development or reform on ECEC in your countries?
– Discussion on setting possible policy objectives/key points on ECEC for WLB – going beyond the directive and setting future WLB work for 2018/19

11.00 -11-15        Coffee break

11.15 – 13.00     Discussion 2: Beyond policy: possible project proposals and funding for WLB
-Presentation by Members if they have ongoing project or presented funding for WLB related projects: do you have any project ongoing on WLB in your country? (e.g. on family-friendly workplaces, childcare, long-term care and more).
-Discussion on possible opportunities for European projects/partnerships.

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Research on childcare – recommendations from COFACE members

-“From Neurons to Neighborhoods” of USA Institute of Medicine (http://www.nap.edu/read/9824/chapter/1#xvii)
-“Poverty, Stress and Brain Development: News directions for prevention and Intervention; Blair, C and Raver CC, December 2016”.
–Instituto Infancia y Adolescencia published research on young children and poverty (http://institutinfancia.cat/).