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Guidance for reporting on the implementation of the Council Recommendation on access to affordable high-quality long-term care

I. Aims and structure of the guidance

This voluntary guidance aims to support the consistency of the reporting, while taking into account the country-specific context and circumstances, with a view to facilitate monitoring the implementation of the Recommendation, as well as policy dialogue and mutual learning at EU level.

The context section should aim to establish the baseline for reporting. As such, it should outline the specificities of the long-term care system design and identify the gaps or remaining challenges in relation to the policy objectives of the Recommendations. It should also recall the consultation or stakeholders’ involvement in the preparation of the implementation measures.

The section on overall policy response and measures (to be) taken would explain how the key objectives of the Recommendation are followed up in the national context, by providing details on how the Member State intends to close the gaps, if any, in relation to the specific provisions of the Recommendation. This should be underpinned by an outline of the measures adopted or planned to be adopted, including, to the extent possible, information on the type of measure, target group, timeline, funding, expected impact etc. To ensure synergies and contain the administrative burden, cross-references can be made as relevant to additional sources providing more detailed information for the relevant measures reported. As a way forward, the report could mention potential remaining long-term care challenges not addressed by those measures already taken/ planned. It should also highlight concrete needs for further EU support and potential contributions from the Member State to the EU level policy dialogue in the area of long-term care (e.g. good practice, high-level initiatives or networking opportunities, etc.).

II. Template for reporting

1. Context and baseline

1.1. Diagnosis of the gaps and remaining challenges

This section provides a brief assessment of the national situation in relation to the building

blocks of the long-term care Recommendation, identifies challenges to be addressed (if

there are any). To the extent possible, the assessment, identification of challenges and good

practices should be mapped with the relevant articles/ letters of the Recommendation. It could

rely, inter alia, on Semester Country Reports/ Country Specific Recommendations/ National

Reform Programmes/ Recovery and Resilience Plans, 2023 SPC Annual Report, 2021 EC-

SPC report on long-term care.

1.2. Stakeholders’ involvement

This section explains how the various stakeholders were involved in reviewing national

long-term care policy in relation with the long-term care Recommendation and in defining

national measures to address the identified challenges.

2. Policy objectives and measures (to be) taken

2.1. Overall policy response

This section describes how the gaps identified in relation with the objectives of the

Recommendation have been/ will be addressed. It provides a breakdown of the overall policy

response into a list of concrete measures, mapped to the extent possible with the relevant

articles/ letters of the Recommendation.

2.2. Detailed description of the measures

This section provides further details for each of the measures listed in the previous section.

For each measure, MS should provide a detailed description. This could include, for example,

information on the aim, type (e.g. legislative reform, investment, etc.), target group (definition

and size), results and impact (expected or achieved), timeline, financial resources

(national and/ or EU funding), implementing body(ies) and cooperation with stakeholders,

evaluation and cross-linkages with other measures.

3. Remaining challenges and needs for EU support

3.1. Remaining challenges

This section describes any potential remaining long-term care challenges not addressed

by those measures already taken/ planned. Reflections on why they cannot be addressed at

national / regional level are welcome.

3.2. EU support

This section should highlight concrete needs for further EU support, including in relation

with remaining challenges not addressed by planned/ already taken measures, and

highlight potential contributions from your MS to the EU level policy dialogue in the area

of long-term care (e.g. good practice, high-level initiatives or networking opportunities, etc.).

III. Submission of reports

One report per Member State, preferably in English, should be submitted via official correspondence for the attention of Commissioner Schmit. A courtesy copy should be sent to [email protected] by 15 June 2024 at the latest. Earlier submissions are strongly encouraged and will facilitate the timely input to the SPC Annual Report.

NICOLAS SCHMIT

MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION

JOBS AND SOCIAL RIGHTS

./.. Ms Signe Riisalo Minister of Social Protection

Estonia

Rue de la Loi, 200

B-1049 Brussels

Tel. +32-2 295 00 90

[email protected]

Brussels, 16/04/2024

Ares(2024) 2672542

Subject: Implementation of the Council Recommendation on access to

affordable high-quality long-term care

Dear Minister,

I am following up on my letter of 17 February 2023 with regard to the implementation of

the Council Recommendation on access to affordable high-quality long-term care1. I

am pleased that all Member States have appointed national long-term care

coordinators or have in place a coordination mechanism, and that many have rolled out

inclusive national consultations in preparation of the implementation measures.

As you recall, the Recommendation invites Member States to share with the

Commission within 18 months of its adoption, i.e. by June 2024, the set of measures

taken or planned to implement it, building where relevant on existing national strategies

or plans and taking into account national, regional and local circumstances.

The Commission discussed with the long-term care coordinators and with the Social

Protection Committee (SPC) the guidance for reporting on the implementation

measures (see Annex). This aims at supporting the consistency of the exercise, while

taking into account the national contexts.

1 Council Recommendation of 8 December 2022 on access to affordable high-quality long-term

care (2022/C 476/01) EUR-Lex - 32022H1215(01) - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu)

Therefore, I invite you to share with our services ([email protected])

information on national implementation measures as soon as possible and at the

latest by 15 June 2024, following the attached guidance. I would strongly encourage

you to submit this information in a timely manner, considering also the SPC thematic

social reporting for 2024 will be dedicated to the implementation of the long-term care

Recommendation. This would elevate the political visibility of the topic, while reducing

the administrative burden. The information you share will provide the basis to take

stock and continue fostering the policy dialogue, with a view to the Commission report

to be submitted to the Council by the end of 2027.

Finally, I am pleased to inform you that the implementation of the European Care

Strategy is advancing swiftly, with most of the long-term care related actions

successfully launched and progressing well. Implementation at country level benefits

from mutual learning, technical support, and EU funding, such as the European Social

Fund+, the European Regional Development Fund, and the Recovery and Resilience

Facility. A wide array of EU-level actions to address the multi-faceted challenges in the

sector are underway, such as the set-up of a European social dialogue committee for

social services, or of a large-scale skills partnership for long-term care.

My services remain at your disposal to further assist you in addressing implementation

challenges via mutual learning, technical support, and policy expertise. For any

additional information, please reach out to [email protected] or contact

directly Dana-Carmen Bachmann ([email protected]), Head

of the Social Protection Unit in DG EMPL, or Flaviana Teodosiu, Team Leader for

Long-Term Care ([email protected]).

Yours faithfully,

Nicolas Schmit

Enclosure: Guidance for reporting on the implementation of the Council Recommendation on access to affordable high-quality long-term care.

Electronically signed on 11/04/2024 14:37 (UTC+02) in accordance with Article 11 of Commission Decision (EU) 2021/2121

Rue Guimard 11/13 1040 Brussels Tel: +32 2 227 39 10 [email protected] https://eu.mfa.ee

Signe Riisalo

Sotsiaalkaitseminister

Sotsiaalministeerium

16.04.2024 nr 10.1-13/382-1

Austatud minister

Edastame Teile Euroopa Komisjoni voliniku Nicolas Schmiti 16.04.2024 kirja nr Ares(2024)

2772850 (Implementation of the Council Recommendation on access to affordable high-quality

long-term care).

Lugupidamisega

Aivo Orav

Esinduse juht

Lisad:

1. Voliniku kiri 2 lk

2. Guidance for reporting on the implementation of the Council Recommendation on

access to affordable high-quality long-term care

Tiiu Noobel +32 2227 4337 [email protected]

From: PELECHOWICZ Anita <[email protected]>

Date: 16 April 2024 at 11:33:49 CEST

Subject: Implementation of the Council Recommendation on access to affordable high-quality long-

term care ref. Ares(2024)2772850

To: Aivo Orav <[email protected]>

Cc: PELECHOWICZ Anita <[email protected]>

Your Excellency, Please find attached a letter by Mr Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner responsible for Jobs and Social Rights addressed to the attention of Ms Signe Riisalo, Minister of Social Protection. We would be grateful if you could ensure the transmission of this letter. Yours faithfully, On behalf of Antoine Kasel Anita Pelechowicz Assistant to Ana Carla Pereira – Cabinet expert Assistant to Christoph Nerlich – Member of Cabinet Cabinet of Nicolas Schmit Commissioner for Jobs & Social rights

European Commission Rue de la Loi 200, office : BERL 10/322 B-1049 Brussels/Belgium Tel +32 2 29 65130 E-mail : [email protected]