Development of a methodology for the collection of harmonised statistics on childcare

This working paper presents the results of a project about comparable statistics in the area of childcare in the European Union. The purpose was to define a methodology for the collection of harmonised data relating to demand and supply of childcare within the European union, and to compile and to analyse available data from national sources in EU Member States. A special interest was put on collecting national data for the targets on childcare agreed by the 2002 Barcelona European Council.