Towards a family-friendly Europe: policy recommendations for demographic renewal

Doc. 16477: compendium of written amendments | Doc. 16477 | 01/10/2026 | Final version

Compendium index

Amendment 9 Amendment 11 Amendment 5 Amendment 7 Amendment 4 Amendment 10 Amendment 12 Amendment 1 Amendment 13 Amendment 14 Amendment 15 Amendment 16 Amendment 8 Amendment 6 Amendment 2 Amendment 3 Amendment 17 Amendment 18 Amendment 19 Amendment 20

Caption: AdoptedRejectedWithdrawnNo electronic votes

ADraft Resolution

1Europe is facing a profound demographic change due to its shrinking population. After decades of vivid growth, its total population of about 751 million is flattening and is set to slowly fall during the 21st century unless significant policy changes intervene. This demographic change includes persistently low birth rates, population ageing, shrinking cohorts of working-age people and the depopulation of rural and peripheral regions, with far-reaching consequences for society, economy and social systems. The demographic question has thus become a critical policy issue in Europe which requires a long-term vision to bridge the gap between people’s needs and aspirations and the reality they face.

2The Parliamentary Assembly notes that over the last ten years, deaths have outnumbered births (natural population change) in the European Union and many other countries across Europe, with population remaining overall stable or growing slightly only thanks to net immigration. It views the changing demographic outlook as one of Europe’s major challenges, alongside environmental and digital challenges, representing a genuine structural shift that requires both adaptation and mitigation. The Assembly concurs with the United Nations Population Fund in calling for responses to demographic change that focus on people’s rights, choices and empowerment rather than on numerical population targets, in order to build more fair, sustainable and resilient societies.

3The Assembly observes that Europe’s demographic shrinkage is not the result of a single factor, but of a combination of economic insecurity, high costs of housing and childcare, rising age at first childbirth. difficulties in reconciling work and family life, fertility issues, unequal sharing of care responsibilities, gender inequality, environmental anxiety, weakness of public services and insufficient support for disadvantaged families and persons with disabilities (including both parents and children). The Assembly stresses the need for comprehensive, coherent and co-ordinated responses in providing stable support to families in all their diversity.

• Amendment 9

01 October 2026

Tabled by Mr Rónán MULLEN, Sir Edward LEIGH, Mr Paweł JABŁOŃSKI, Mr Bob De BRABANDERE, Mr Markus WIECHEL, Mr Ričards ŠLESERS, Mr Sali BERISHA, Mr José María SÁNCHEZ GARCÍA, Mr Joseph O'REILLY, Ms Albana VOKSHI, Ms Andrea EDER-GITSCHTHALER, Ms Andrea EDER-GITSCHTHALER, Ms Andrea EDER-GITSCHTHALER, Ms Ivanka VASILEVSKA, Mr Ion GROZA, Mr Marko PAVIĆ, Mr Pavlo BAKUNETS, Mr Martin GRAF

In the draft resolution, paragraph 3, first sentence, after the words "high costs of housing and childcare,", insert the following words:

"lifestyle expectations, changing attitudes towards having and raising children, the impact of technology, internet and social media use,"

4Recalling the relevant Council of Europe standards, such as the European Convention on Human Rights (ETS No. 5), the European Social Charter (ETS No. 35) and its revised version (No. 163), the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (CETS No. 210, “Istanbul Convention”), the Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (CETS No. 201, “Lanzarote Convention”), as well as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Assembly underlines the importance of guaranteeing socio-economic rights, equality and non-discrimination in all family policies at national and European level.

5The Assembly considers that the growing diversity of family forms and structures prevalent in European societies – including lone parents, blended families, cohabiting couples, rainbow families and families with members who have disabilities – calls for inclusive policies that acknowledge and provide non-discriminatory treatment to all families.

• Amendment 11
• Amendment 5
• Amendment 7
• Amendment 4
• Amendment 10

01 October 2026

Tabled by Mr Rónán MULLEN, Mr Ion GROZA, Ms Andrea EDER-GITSCHTHALER, Mr Joseph O'REILLY, Mr José María SÁNCHEZ GARCÍA, Mr Sali BERISHA, Mr Bob De BRABANDERE, Mr Markus WIECHEL, Mr Paweł JABŁOŃSKI, Sir Edward LEIGH, Mr Pavlo BAKUNETS, Mr Martin GRAF

If adopted, amendments 5, 7, 4 falls.

In the draft resolution, paragraph 5, replace the words after "European societies" with the following words:

"calls for inclusive policies that both acknowledge and avoid forms of unjust discrimination"

Explanatory note

It is important to oppose unjust discrimination while recognising that Member States have different laws and that the listing of various family forms may unjustly exclude some.

01 October 2026

Tabled by Mr Murat Cahid CINGI, Ms Seda GÖREN, Ms Pelin YILIK, Mr Abdurrahman BABACAN, Ms Zeynep YILDIZ, Mr Sevan SIVACIOĞLU

If adopted, amendment 7 falls. Falls if amendment 11 is adopted.

In the draft resolution, paragraph 5, delete the following words:

"cohabiting couples, rainbow families"

Explanatory note

The amendment aims to avoid references to all forms of family that are against to widespread understanding of family concept and its underlying values. It aims to preserve family structure as an important foundation of population growth, social sustainability and intergenerational solidarity.

01 October 2026

Tabled by Ms Cristina Gabriella DUMITRESCU, Ms Dumitrina MITREA, Mr Alexander Van HATTEM, Mr Bob De BRABANDERE, Ms Bianca-Eugenia GAVRILĂ

Falls if amendments 11, 5 are adopted.

In the draft resolution, paragraph 5, delete the following words:

“rainbow families”

Explanatory note

Family law and family policies vary considerably among Council of Europe member States. The amendment seeks to preserve an inclusive approach while respecting the principle of subsidiarity and the diversity of national legal frameworks concerning the definition and recognition of families.

01 October 2026

Tabled by Mr Murat Cahid CINGI, Ms Seda GÖREN, Mr Mehmet AKALIN, Ms Pelin YILIK, Mr Abdurrahman BABACAN, Ms Zeynep YILDIZ, Mr Sevan SIVACIOĞLU

Falls if amendment 11 is adopted.

In the draft resolution, paragraph 5, delete the following words:

“that acknowledge and provide non-discriminatory treatment to all families”

Explanatory note

The amendment aims to remove the reference to “all families”, as this broad wording may weaken the focus of policies on protecting and strengthening family as a stable social institution. Policies should focus on family structure and its role in producing children and supporting population growth.

01 October 2026

Tabled by Mr Rónán MULLEN, Mr Pavlo BAKUNETS, Sir Edward LEIGH, Mr Paweł JABŁOŃSKI, Mr Bob De BRABANDERE, Mr Ričards ŠLESERS, Mr Sali BERISHA, Mr Jan Filip LIBICKI, Mr Malte KAUFMANN, Mr José María SÁNCHEZ GARCÍA, Mr Titus CORLĂŢEAN, Baroness Thérèse COFFEY, Ms Andrea EDER-GITSCHTHALER, Ms Ivanka VASILEVSKA, Mr Ion GROZA, Mr Joseph O'REILLY, Mr Martin GRAF

In the draft resolution, after paragraph 5, insert the following paragraph:

"At the same time, the Assembly recognises the social and economic value of marriage for its own sake and for demographic renewal and calls for policies which promote marriage as an ideal basis for family life, always with due regard for personal freedom and aspiration."

6The Assembly is concerned with the negative economic and social impacts of demographic imbalance, such as shrinking labour force, increased old-age dependency ratios, pressure on pension, long-term care and healthcare systems, and territorial cohesion. All these affect intergenerational solidarity and increase the risk of social fragmentation. It emphasises the importance of long-term policy planning and social investment to preserve prosperity and enhance well-being.

7The Assembly notes that young adults face increasingly long transitions into autonomous living and underlines the need to empower younger generations through improved access to quality jobs, public services, affordable housing and credit, inclusive educational and social policies, lifelong learning, and territorial cohesion measures to combat depopulation and talent drain so that young people can participate fully in building a sustainable future in their home regions.

8Noting that ageing is a structural and irreversible feature of European societies, the Assembly stresses that older people are a major social and economic asset as long as policies are in place to promote active ageing, autonomy, participation and lifelong learning. It therefore calls for age-friendly societies that strengthen prevention approaches to health and well-being, accessibility, digital inclusion and quality long-term care, recognising older persons as contributors to prosperity and intergenerational solidarity.

9Recalling its Resolution 2586 (2025) “Immigration, one of the answers to Europe’s demographic ageing”, the Assembly considers that migration can help to alleviate labour shortages and demographic imbalances even if it cannot by itself compensate for ageing or lower birth rates. It stresses that migration policy should be rights-based, skills-aware and well integrated with labour-market and regional-development policies, while remaining a complement to, and not a substitute for, family-support measures.

• Amendment 12
• Amendment 1

01 October 2026

Tabled by Mr Rónán MULLEN, Mr Ion GROZA, Baroness Thérèse COFFEY, Ms Andrea EDER-GITSCHTHALER, Mr José María SÁNCHEZ GARCÍA, Mr Sali BERISHA, Mr Ričards ŠLESERS, Mr Markus WIECHEL, Mr Paweł JABŁOŃSKI, Sir Edward LEIGH, Mr Pavlo BAKUNETS, Mr Jan Filip LIBICKI

In the draft resolution, paragraph 9, first sentence, replace the words "migration can help to alleviate labour shortages and demographic imbalances even if" with the following words:

"while migration can help to alleviate labour shortages and demographic imbalances,"

Explanatory note

Stressing that other measures, beyond positive migration strategies, are needed.

01 October 2026

Tabled by Ms Lesia ZABURANNA, Mr Taras BATENKO, Mr Dominik OBERHOFER, Ms Mariia MEZENTSEVA-FEDORENKO, Ms Larysa BILOZIR, Mr Serhii KALCHENKO, Mr Oleksii GONCHARENKO, Ms Tamila TASHEVA, Mr Emanuelis ZINGERIS, Ms Lucia PLAVÁKOVÁ

In the draft resolution, after paragraph 9, insert the following paragraph:

"The Assembly expresses its solidarity with Ukraine, whose demographic future is being deliberately undermined by the aggressor, and welcomes the adoption by the Ukrainian authorities of a Strategy for Demographic Development to 2040 and their efforts, under wartime conditions, to support families, protect children and create the conditions for the voluntary return of displaced citizens."

10The Assembly believes that demographic resilience must be embedded in sustainable development, including affordable housing, quality education, effective health care, clean and climate-resilient infrastructure, and decent employment. It considers that people are more likely to settle, raise families and invest in their communities when they can trust that public services are reliable and continuous, their environment is safe, and their future is secure.

11The Assembly calls on the Council of Europe member States to:

11.1adopt coherent, long-term and inclusive demographic strategies and action plans, involving national, regional and local authorities, social partners, civil society organisations and young people in the design, monitoring, evaluation and adaptation of demographic policies;

11.2establish interministerial co-ordination mechanisms to ensure long-term demographic policy coherence and better-integrated delivery of family-centred services;

• Amendment 13
• Amendment 14

01 October 2026

Tabled by Mr Rónán MULLEN, Mr Pavlo BAKUNETS, Sir Edward LEIGH, Mr Paweł JABŁOŃSKI, Mr Markus WIECHEL, Mr Bob De BRABANDERE, Mr Ričards ŠLESERS, Mr Sali BERISHA, Mr Malte KAUFMANN, Mr Joseph O'REILLY, Mr José María SÁNCHEZ GARCÍA, Ms Andrea EDER-GITSCHTHALER, Mr Titus CORLĂŢEAN, Baroness Thérèse COFFEY, Ms Ivanka VASILEVSKA, Mr Marko PAVIĆ, Mr Jan Filip LIBICKI, Mr Martin GRAF

In the draft resolution, after paragraph 11.2, insert the following paragraph:

"promote, through public policy and in particular through education systems, the personal and social benefits of forming committed relationships and having and bringing up children, always respecting each person's capacity, freedom, aspiration and discernment."

01 October 2026

Tabled by Mr Rónán MULLEN, Mr Ion GROZA, Ms Ivanka VASILEVSKA, Ms Andrea EDER-GITSCHTHALER, Mr José María SÁNCHEZ GARCÍA, Mr Sali BERISHA, Mr Ričards ŠLESERS, Mr Bob De BRABANDERE, Mr Markus WIECHEL, Mr Paweł JABŁOŃSKI, Sir Edward LEIGH, Mr Pavlo BAKUNETS, Mr Jan Filip LIBICKI, Mr Martin GRAF

Votes: 54 in favor 1 against 1 abstention

In the draft resolution, after paragraph 11.2, insert the following paragraph:

"encourage governments to convene expert groups on demographic renewal and to promote the identification and exchange of good practice among member States;"

11.3mainstream policies that support parenthood at the time when people wish to become parents, namely by ensuring gender equality in all aspects of life, addressing the issue of child marriages, guaranteeing access to reproductive health, protecting family life through work-life balance measures, improving access to care, childcare and affordable housing and providing other material conditions for family life that facilitate circular migration linked to labour mobility and family reunion;

• Amendment 15

01 October 2026

Tabled by Mr Rónán MULLEN, Ms Andrea EDER-GITSCHTHALER, Mr José María SÁNCHEZ GARCÍA, Mr Sali BERISHA, Mr Ričards ŠLESERS, Mr Markus WIECHEL, Mr Paweł JABŁOŃSKI, Sir Edward LEIGH, Mr Pavlo BAKUNETS, Mr Jan Filip LIBICKI

In the draft resolution, paragraph 11.3, replace the words "reproductive health" with the following words:

"appropriate reproductive pre- and post-natal healthcare"

11.4bring family policies in line with Articles 16 and 17 of the European Social Charter, as interpreted by the European Committee of Social Rights, ensuring in particular that family benefits, childcare services and housing for families are adequate and accessible, and that single-parent families and families in vulnerable situations are properly protected;

11.5strengthen family-friendly measures by:

11.5.1improving affordability and accessibility of childcare, and ensuring a seamless transition between parental leave and publicly supported early childhood education and care;

11.5.2expanding and better compensating parental leave for both mothers and fathers, including adoptive parents and foster parents, regardless of their employment status (including self-employed persons and those engaged in seasonal work), and promoting flexible, family-friendly working arrangements;

11.5.3strengthening legal and practical measures against workplace discrimination linked to pregnancy, motherhood and caregiving which constitutes maternal mobbing;

11.5.4investing in social housing, especially for young adults, first-time parents and large families, in particular in disadvantaged urban areas and regions affected by depopulation or those undergoing transition towards more sustainable energy sectors and green economy, in line with the Assembly Resolution 2626 (2025) “Analysis and guidelines to guarantee the right to housing”; and encouraging banks to review lending criteria or proposing State-supported loans for young workers to facilitate their access to home-ownership;

11.5.5supporting youth employment, stable careers, fair wages and skills development to reduce precarity and enable earlier household formation;

11.5.6ensuring equal treatment, antidiscrimination and targeted financial support where necessary for single-parent families, rainbow families, families including persons with disabilities, Roma and Traveller families and other disadvantaged population groups, in particular through national education systems;

• Amendment 16
• Amendment 8
• Amendment 6

01 October 2026

Tabled by Mr Rónán MULLEN, Mr Ion GROZA, Baroness Thérèse COFFEY, Ms Andrea EDER-GITSCHTHALER, Mr José María SÁNCHEZ GARCÍA, Mr Joseph O'REILLY, Mr Sali BERISHA, Mr Ričards ŠLESERS, Mr Markus WIECHEL, Mr Bob De BRABANDERE, Mr Paweł JABŁOŃSKI, Sir Edward LEIGH, Mr Pavlo BAKUNETS, Mr Jan Filip LIBICKI, Mr Martin GRAF

If adopted, amendments 8, 6 falls.

In the draft resolution, paragraph 11.5.6, replace the words after "ensuring equal treatment" with the following words:

"non-discrimination and targeted financial support for families with particular needs, especially families from disadvantaged population groups, and working to achieve these measures by way of national education systems where appropriate;"

01 October 2026

Tabled by Ms Cristina Gabriella DUMITRESCU, Ms Dumitrina MITREA, Mr Alexander Van HATTEM, Mr Bob De BRABANDERE, Ms Bianca-Eugenia GAVRILĂ

If adopted, amendment 6 falls. Falls if amendment 16 is adopted.

Votes: 15 in favor 31 against 5 abstentions

In the draft resolution, paragraph 11.5.6, replace the words “single-parent families, rainbow families, families including persons with disabilities, Roma and Traveller families and other disadvantaged population groups” with the following words:

“all families and disadvantaged population groups”

Explanatory note

Family law and family policies vary considerably among Council of Europe member States. A general reference to “all families” ensures an inclusive and non-discriminatory approach while respecting the principle of subsidiarity and the diversity of national legal frameworks.

01 October 2026

Tabled by Mr Murat Cahid CINGI, Ms Seda GÖREN, Ms Pelin YILIK, Mr Abdurrahman BABACAN, Ms Zeynep YILDIZ, Mr Sevan SIVACIOĞLU

Falls if amendments 16, 8 are adopted.

In the draft resolution, paragraph 11.5.6, delete the following words:

“rainbow families,”

Explanatory note

The amendment aims to remove the reference to same-sex families for financial support. Because such structures do not contribute to targeted population growth. Family policies should prioritise the family as recognised in Article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

11.5.7improving access to State-funded maternal, child and reproductive health services, including fertility information, infertility prevention, counselling and treatment where needed;

11.5.8establishing family centres for providing community support for families and promoting the European Network of Family-Friendly Municipalities;

11.5.9developing community-based open care and support programmes for vulnerable people which would provide accessible psycho-social counselling to prevent and treat addictions, help secure young persons’ transition to parenthood and ensure timely care for mental health issues among young parents;

11.5.10encouraging family-friendly business practices such as flexible working arrangements (including telework) and employer-supported childcare, establishment of workplace childcare facilities or partnerships with local childcare providers;

11.5.11ensuring that demographic and family policies fully respect bodily autonomy and the right of all persons to make free and informed decisions about whether, when and how many children to have;

• Amendment 2
• Amendment 3
• Amendment 17

01 October 2026

Tabled by Ms Lesia ZABURANNA, Mr Taras BATENKO, Mr Dominik OBERHOFER, Ms Mariia MEZENTSEVA-FEDORENKO, Ms Larysa BILOZIR, Mr Serhii KALCHENKO, Mr Oleksii GONCHARENKO, Ms Tamila TASHEVA, Mr Emanuelis ZINGERIS, Ms Lucia PLAVÁKOVÁ

In the draft resolution, after paragraph 11.5.11, insert the following paragraph:

"promoting a culture and a work ethic supportive of parenthood, in which caring for children is recognised as a contribution to society and is not penalised in careers, pay or working conditions;"

01 October 2026

Tabled by Ms Lesia ZABURANNA, Mr Taras BATENKO, Ms Mariia MEZENTSEVA-FEDORENKO, Ms Larysa BILOZIR, Mr Serhii KALCHENKO, Mr Oleksii GONCHARENKO, Ms Tamila TASHEVA, Mr Emanuelis ZINGERIS, Ms Lucia PLAVÁKOVÁ

Votes: 41 in favor 11 against 1 abstention

In the draft resolution, after paragraph 11.5.11, insert the following paragraph:

"tackling gender inequality in parenthood by introducing, through both legal measures and policies inducing behavioural change, an equal and fair distribution of parental responsibilities between partners;"

01 October 2026

Tabled by Mr Rónán MULLEN, Mr Ion GROZA, Baroness Thérèse COFFEY, Mr Titus CORLĂŢEAN, Ms Andrea EDER-GITSCHTHALER, Mr José María SÁNCHEZ GARCÍA, Mr Sali BERISHA, Mr Malte KAUFMANN, Mr Ričards ŠLESERS, Mr Markus WIECHEL, Mr Paweł JABŁOŃSKI, Sir Edward LEIGH, Mr Pavlo BAKUNETS, Mr Jan Filip LIBICKI, Mr Martin GRAF

In the draft resolution, after paragraph 11.5.11, insert the following paragraph:

"enhancing co-operation between national and local governments and civil society organisations, particularly associations of parents and/or families, to ensure that families are active protagonists in the framing and delivery of family policy."

11.6promote age-friendly policies, active ageing, lifelong learning and accessible services for older persons and families with small children, in particular through municipalities and local authorities;

11.7mainstream gender equality across all demographic and family policies, recognising unpaid care as a shared social responsibility rather than a private burden borne mainly by women and ensuring stronger prevention of violence against women;

• Amendment 18

01 October 2026

Tabled by Mr Rónán MULLEN, Mr Pavlo BAKUNETS, Ms Octavie MODERT, Sir Edward LEIGH, Mr Paweł JABŁOŃSKI, Mr Markus WIECHEL, Mr Bob De BRABANDERE, Mr Jan Filip LIBICKI, Mr Ričards ŠLESERS, Mr Sali BERISHA, Mr Joseph O'REILLY, Mr José María SÁNCHEZ GARCÍA, Ms Andrea EDER-GITSCHTHALER, Mr Titus CORLĂŢEAN, Mr Ion GROZA, Mr Malte KAUFMANN, Mr Martin GRAF

In the draft resolution, after paragraph 11.7, insert the following paragraph:

"address the pay and pension challenges facing parents and especially, at the present time, mothers by compensating, in the calculation of pay, taxation, social protection and pension entitlements, for breaks in service taken for the benefit of bringing up children at home."

11.8ensure the sustainability of pension systems by introducing or enhancing, as appropriate, the capitalisation tier in pay-as-you-go systems;

• Amendment 19
• Amendment 20

01 October 2026

Tabled by Mr Rónán MULLEN, Mr Ion GROZA, Mr Titus CORLĂŢEAN, Ms Andrea EDER-GITSCHTHALER, Mr José María SÁNCHEZ GARCÍA, Mr Joseph O'REILLY, Mr Sali BERISHA, Mr Malte KAUFMANN, Mr Ričards ŠLESERS, Mr Bob De BRABANDERE, Mr Markus WIECHEL, Mr Paweł JABŁOŃSKI, Sir Edward LEIGH, Ms Octavie MODERT, Mr Pavlo BAKUNETS, Mr Martin GRAF

In the draft resolution, after paragraph 11.8, insert the following paragraph:

"promote family-friendly tax justice, by ensuring that families with children are not disproportionately burdened by taxation measures, by taking account of unpaid care work and family size when imposing and adjusting taxation, and by removing value-added taxes on basic family consumables to assist families with children;"

01 October 2026

Tabled by Mr Rónán MULLEN, Mr Ion GROZA, Ms Andrea EDER-GITSCHTHALER, Mr José María SÁNCHEZ GARCÍA, Mr Joseph O'REILLY, Mr Sali BERISHA, Mr Ričards ŠLESERS, Mr Bob De BRABANDERE, Mr Markus WIECHEL, Mr Paweł JABŁOŃSKI, Sir Edward LEIGH, Mr Pavlo BAKUNETS, Mr Jan Filip LIBICKI, Mr Martin GRAF

In the draft resolution, after paragraph 11.8, insert the following paragraph:

"recognise and value unpaid family service and care generally, including care for children and older relatives, by means of adequate taxation, social protection and pension recognition;"

11.9support territorial cohesion through investment in infrastructure, public services and local development in rural and peripheral areas, as well as tax incentives for the relocation of essential services and economic activities from major urban centres to under-developed or remote regions;

11.10further analyse and reduce environmental risks that can affect reproductive health, notably pollution and the population’s exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals;

11.11ratify the revised European Social Charter – if they have not yet done so, accept Article 16 thereof and the Additional Protocol Providing for a System of Collective Complaints (ETS No. 158), and give full effect to the conclusions and decisions of the European Committee of Social Rights.

12The Assembly welcomes the innovative national demographic frameworks (such as dedicated parliamentary committees, cross-sector policy co-ordination mechanisms and fiscal initiatives) in several member States, and encourages the adoption of similar frameworks elsewhere, tailored to national and regional contexts.