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The Socialist Prime Minister of Spain, José Luis Zapatero, has promised universal education for children aged 0 to 3 years.

The proposal is due to be officially approved by the Government’s Council of Ministers before the summer break.

The announcement was made this week in an annual debate on the state of the nation, and is part of the Government’s response to national concern about falling birth rates in Spain. 

The decision to massively increase child care for children under 3 in Spain follows recent agreement in the German coalition Government, prompted by the SPD, to make child care from the first year of a child’s life a legal right by 2013. A proposal for education from 0-7, put forward by the Italian Left Democrats, is also under consideration in the Italian Senate.

The right to child care is already established in Denmark, Sweden and Finland and the idea appears to be spreading, as socialists and social democrats all over Europe are working to improve pre-school child care facilities including in Portugal, the UK, Austria and the Netherlands.

The EU agreed targets for child care five years ago at its Barcelona Summit: child care by 2010 for at least 90% of children between 3 years old and the statutory school age, and at least 33% of children under 3 years of age. Most member states are not meeting those targets, but European Commissioner Vladimir Spidla has promised a report next year containing incentives for member states to achieve the child care targets.

PES President Poul Nyrup Rasmussen said “Social democratic and socialist Governments across Europe are making new investments in childcare. We know that child care is a basic requirement for 21st century families, and offers the best possible start to a child’s education.”