AGF welcomes the European Child Guarantee and call on swift implementation

[14. 6. 2021] The family organizations united in the AGF welcome today’s decision of the EU Member States to introduce a European Guarantee for Children. With this decision, which was preceded by a proposal of the European Commission, the Member States commit themselves to an intensive fight against child poverty and its consequences for the participation of children.

From the AGF’s point of view, the initiative offers an opportunity to strengthen the fight against child and family poverty in Germany and Europe. The family organizations now call on the German government in particular to implement the recommendations contained therein as soon as possible and to develop a stron action plan in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders, covering all key dimensions in the Child Guarantee recommendation.


The European Child Guarantee aims to support children in poverty and at risk of poverty and social exclusion in the EU, helping them to access key services for their health and well-being. This includes access to free healthcare, inclusive education (including digital educational tools) and school based activities, early childhood and care facilities, and effective access to adequate housing and suitable and healthy nutrition. The implementation of the Child Guarantee must be linked with wider enabling social policy frameworks, notably with  the European Pillar of Social Rights and the transposition of the EU Work-Life Balance Directive.


On March 24, 2021, the European Commission had already published its proposal for a corresponding Council recommendation on the introduction of a so-called “child guarantee”. This has now been adopted by the member states as a so-called Council Recommendation, which calls on the member states to effectively implement the contents at national level. Therfore, each Member State has to develop a national action plan within the next nine months.

The AGF supports the initiative and plans to accompany the process at national level. For more information: https://www.ag-familie.de/home/childguarantee.html?en.

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