A "European pact for the family": it is invoked by EESC, European Economic and Social Committee, advisory body of the EU with headquarters in Brussels, through an "exploring opinion" drawn up on request by Ursula von der Leyen, Germany’s federal minister for the family. This evening, at the headquarters of the European Parliament, the proposer, the French Stéphane Buffetaut, and the president of the family intergroup, the Greek Panayotopoulos Cassiotou, will present the text approved by the EESC plenary meeting last 14 March. The document, it is explained in a note by the Social and Economic Committee, "proposes, in particular, the stipulation of a European Pact for the family, and the fixing of a minimal amount for public allocations meant for family and children". The reflection, deriving from an impulse from the current presidency of the EU Council, follows the document recently approved by the Commission on the demographic situation in Europe, and the solicitation coming from the summit of the Heads of State and government at the beginning of March. However, more developments on the subject are expected: within 10 May, the Barroso executive should adopt a communication named "Support to the European family"; a meeting of the 27 community ministers taking care of the family is scheduled on 27 May. (To be continued)
