Ad-PHS project final conference

After two years of work, the Advancing Personal and Household Services (Ad-PHS) project reached its end.

On the 10th of December 2020, more than 130 participants took part to the online final conference of the project. During the event, speakers discussed the importance of PHS and presented the project’s various outcomes through simultaneous round tables. 

In its introductory speech, Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, stressed the importance of the PHS sector which has been once again highlighted during the pandemic. The European Commission will continue to address the challenges faced by PHS under the guiding principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights. Finally, Commissioner Schmit congratulated project’s partners as they were able to connect organisations at EU and national level, allowing to pull expertise together and share experience and best practices.

During the closing session, all project’s partners discussed future and political responses to the challenges identified. While they all shared the views that the project has successfully demonstrated their availability to work together and to agree on common objectives, they stressed the need for EU-level support to further develop cooperation within the Ad-PHS platform, reinforcing national level networks, as well as peer reviews exchanges, and guidelines.

 

Reacting to project’s partners proposals, MEP Drago? Pîslaru (Renew Europe, Romania) acknowledged the urgent need for policies supporting and protecting PHS workers, enabling them notably to work on the formal market and to access social protection. In this regard, well-designed socio-fiscal policies are needed to improve both access to PHS and working conditions in the sector. He concluded by indicating his willingness in helping Ad-PHS partners to explore future funding opportunities from the European Parliament side in order to find in collaboration with the European Commission a suitable way to go ahead.   

The program, some videos and presentations are available on the event webpage. All project’s results, including a newly published report on the short-term impact of COVID-19 on PHS are available on the project’s website.