European Fathers' Congress
Initiative in support of European legislation on paternity leave
See the documentation of the event
PRESENTATION
On 28 June 2010 the Green group in the European Parliament in cooperation with father interest groups from all over Europe will host the first ever European Fathers´ Congress.
At the core of the meeting will be the call for a European minimum standard for paternity leave. By addressing topics like paternity care, the economic effects, and equal opportunities on the job market the possibilities of extended paternity leave will be discussed. For the event all stakeholders involved are invited and asked to put forward their concerns. As a result we hope to increase the support for the call for European paternity leave. See draft programme below.
CONGRESS PROGRAMME
09:00
Welcome with coffee/ tea
09:30
Word of welcome
by host Marije Cornelissen, Member of the European Parliament
09:40
Platform for European Fathers
by the spokesperson of the platform, Peter Tromp
09:50
Introduction in paternity leave : process in EP and overview in EU countries
Raül Romeva i Rueda, Member of the European Parliament
10:05
Maternity Leave Directive
- Edite Estrela, rapporteur Maternity Leave Directive
- Radosław Mleczko, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Polish Presidency
10:30
Need for European paternity leave
Konstantina Davaki, Researcher London School of Economics
10:50
Coffee break
Launch Platform for European Fathers
11:15
Debate: a common manifesto por paternity leave in the EU
- Rutger Groot Wassink, Advisor Social Affairs, Dutch Trade Union FNV
- Matthias Lindner, Coordinator Genderpolitics, German Trade Union Ver.di
- Cinzia Sechi, Advisor on Equality, ETUC
- Guillaume Cravero, Advisor Social Affairs, Business Europe
- Konstantina Davaki, Researcher London School of Economics
12:45
Closing remarks
- Marije Cornelissen, Member of the European Parliament
- Peter Tromp, Platform for European Fathers
13:00
End
EUROPEAN FATHERS' PLATFORM
One day ahead of the congress the first European umbrella of father interest groups will be formed.
National organisations representing the interests of fathers and supporting the idea of equal parenting will be asked to take part in this initiative and send one delegate to Brussels.
The meeting will be used to discuss possibilities of working together in following and influencing relevant European policy making. The foremost being the call for paternity leave, but one could also think of regulations on child care, flexible working times, etc. The platform will be politically independent, and it will be up to the father organisations to formulate the objectives of the platform.
