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Childcare provision falling short in EU countries

EU member states will fail to meet their childcare provision targets, a group of European business organisations and unions has warned.

The European social partners on childcare have written a joint letter to the European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities voicing their concerns.

UK organisations signed up include the TUC as part of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the Confederation of British Industry as part of BusinessEurope.

Targets on childcare provision for 33 per cent of under-threes and 90 per cent of three- to six-year-olds by 2010 were set at a European Council meeting in Barcelona in 2002.

The partners are made up of the ETUC, BusinessEurope, the Centre of Enterprises with Public Participation and Enterprises of General Economic Interest, and UEAPME, representatives of small and medium enterprises in Europe.

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