Brussels: Cyprus is committed to promoting child well-being and combating child poverty, Deputy Minister of Social Welfare Clea Papaellina stated Tuesday before the European Parliament during a meeting of the European Parliament's EMPL Working Group on the Child Guarantee. Cyprus DepMin visited the EP following an invitation by MEP Hristo Petrov.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the Deputy Minister emphasized that the European Child Guarantee represents a fundamental political commitment of the European Union, ensuring that no child is deprived of basic goods and services due to social or economic inequalities. She highlighted that in Cyprus, the Child Guarantee is executed through a coherent framework of policies aimed at preventing and addressing child poverty and social exclusion.
The Deputy Minister referred to the EU Cyprus Presidency, stressing that the Presidency's social agenda is guided by a people-centred approach. This approach emphasizes equal access for all citizens to quality, accessible, and personalized social services, fully aligning with the European Pillar of Social Rights.
Papaellina made particular reference to investing in the future of children, noting that promoting child well-being, eradicating child poverty, and enhancing access to affordable and high-quality early childhood education and care, in alignment with the Barcelona objectives, are central to the European social agenda.
Furthermore, the Deputy Minister informed the MEPs that the Cyprus Presidency has submitted a set of Conclusions titled 'Investing in Children: Strengthening Child Well-being, Social Inclusion and Combating Child Poverty in the European Union' to the Council for discussion. These conclusions are anticipated to be adopted at the EPSCO Council in March 2026.
Papaellina underscored the importance of close and constructive cooperation with the European Parliament to ensure that political commitments result in tangible and substantial improvements for the lives of all children in Europe. Cyprus EU Presidency will host a High-Level Conference in May 2026, jointly with the meeting of the National Coordinators of the European Child Guarantee.
The Director General of the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare, Yiannis Nikolaidis, elaborated on the importance of investments in social policy and responded to questions from MEPs regarding the measures for implementing the Child Guarantee in Cyprus. In the meeting's context, the National Coordinator for the establishment of the European Child Guarantee of Cyprus, Maria Yiangou, briefed the Working Group on horizontal actions and policies.