Thursday, June 27, 2013
5.59 (PC Hoofthuis)
The European Union has issued recommendations and benchmarks on the provision of child care facilities in the member states. In this field Germany is still one of the laggards. In response, federal laws have been adopted in the last few years implementing EU soft law. According to federal law, also children under the age of three years have the right to go to crèche kindergarten. This entitlement becomes effective in 2013. It has to be implemented by the German Länder and their local authorities, which are operating under tight fiscal constraints; hence, compliance with the law is not secured. Recently, the negotiations over the Fiscal Pact provided the German Länder with a unique opportunity structure in the summer of 2012. In accordance with the Integration Responsibility Act the adoption of the Fiscal Pact required a two-third majority in both chambers. Via their seats in the Bundesrat, the governments of the German Länder employed their bargaining power to receive financial subsidies from the Federal government ring-fenced for child care services. As a result this will boost the financial capacities of municipalities to meet federal and EU requirements for the provision especially of crèches. This is a remarkable multi-level package deal in favour of better child care thus improving the situation especially of working mothers in Germany.
