The European Alliance for Quality in Early Childhood Education and Care is Launched in Brussels

Strengthening the capacity and knowledge of local and regional administrations to promote quality early childhood education and care in European countries, including through peer learning, the exchange of experiences, and the mobilization of established European best practices. This is the objective of the European Alliance for Early Childhood Education and Care, launched today, Wednesday, April 15, at the European Parliament in Brussels.

The initiative was presented during a high-level policy dialogue seminar at the European Parliament titled “European Alliance for Early Childhood Education and Care: Developing Skills and Knowledge to Promote ECEC across Europe”. With the Members of the European Parliament hosting the event, Hon. Stefano Bonaccini (S&D) and Hon. Letizia Moratti (EPP), speakers included Mario Nava, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion at the European Commission, Francesco Profumo, President of  Fondazione Reggio Children, Lieve De Bosscher, Director of Childcare Services City of Ghent, EuroCities, Marco Massari, Mayor of Reggio Emilia, Italy, Jochen Devlieghere, Ghent University, Belgium, Hon. Elisabetta Gualmini (EMPL), Chiara Spaggiari, Fondazione Reggio Children, Marina Manea, Preschool Director in Bucharest and Flaminia Trapani, Pianoterra ETS Association, Neaples, Marwa Mahmoud, Assessora alle politiche educative del Comune di Reggio Emilia, Federico Ruozzi, presidente dell’Istituzione Scuole e Nidi d’Infanzia del Comune di Reggio Emilia. Closing remarks by MEP Hon. Maria Chiara Gemma (ECR).

From European goals to the European Alliance

In recent years, Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) has gained significant international recognition as a high-impact investment with long-term social, economic and developmental returns. At European level, this recognition has translated into a challenging policy agenda that has included the European Child Guarantee, the renewed Barcelona Objectives, and the 2019 Council Recommendation on High-Quality ECEC Systems. Despite this strong political momentum, significant gaps in implementation persist in relation to EU goals. Most recently, the European Union’s La Hulpe Declaration explicitly calls for the strengthening of capacity building among local and regional authorities and the mobilisation of established European best practices. It is in response to this call that the Fondazione Reggio Children and Ghent University, together with the cities of Reggio Emilia and Ghent, the regions of Emilia-Romagna and Flanders, MEPs and civil society organisations, have taken the initiative to launch the European Alliance for ECEC.

Statements from the Alliance partners  

 “If Europe truly wants to be more equitable, competitive, and democratic, it must have the courage to invest where it all begins: in the early years of life - says Francesco Profumo, president of Fondazione Reggio Children -. The quality of early childhood education and care is not merely a social choice, but a genuine development policy: this is where the battle against educational poverty and inequality is fought. We need investment in children’s rights, in educators’ skills, in local systems, and in the ability to promote and share best practices. This is the direction proposed by the European Alliance: to network best practices, such as those from Reggio Emilia and Ghent, to build an educational model capable of generating economic growth, social cohesion, and democratic quality throughout Europe. Europe is built first and foremost in its preschools: that is where its future begins”.

According to Lieve De Bosscher, Director of Childcare Services City of Ghent, EuroCities “this European Alliance for ECEC is built on a strong cooperation in the triangle of research, policy and practice. In Ghent as in Reggio Emilia, we have been building quality ECEC thanks to the cooperation with the University of Ghent and VBJK, the research centre for the young child in the last decades and have found a long lasting alliance with Reggio Emilia, that also builds on this triangle. As cities we need better and direct access to EU funding long-term, support for proven approaches that are research and knowledge institutions, permanent dialogue between Europe and it’s cities”.

Inspired, stronger cooperation and knowledge exchange between cities

“With the launch of the European Alliance for Early Childhood Education and Care, we aim to give new impetus to educational policies across Europe, building on local experiences that must become part of a shared framework for learning, cooperation and development” says Marco Massari, Mayor of Reggio Emilia. “In this context – he continues -, the role of cities is decisive: they are the places where policies take concrete shape, are measured according to the needs of families, and produce real effects on quality of life and social cohesion. Drawing on the experience of our education system, we believe the time has come to promote horizontal exchange between regions, capable of strengthening skills, governance and the quality of education systems. This is not merely a matter of sharing good practices, but of building lasting capacity within local contexts. Investing in early childhood education and care remains a priority for us because it means investing in the quality of democracy, in reducing inequalities and in building a fairer and more cohesive Europe”.

Professor Jochen Devlieghere, Ghent University, emphasizes that “high-quality Early Childhood Education and Care is fundamental to ensuring equal opportunities for all children. This European Alliance represents a unique platform to connect research, policy, and practice, fostering meaningful collaboration across sectors”.  “By strengthening these links – he continues -, it aims to support the structural development of accessible, inclusive, and high-quality local childcare and education systems, ultimately contributing to better outcomes and life chances for every child”.

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