Organiser : Didier BRETON
Université Marc Bloch Strasbourg 2 - Institut de démographie (FR)
Reproductive and family behaviours in Europe have undergone important changes during the last few decades: more European countries have adopted a low or even a very low fertility model. Men and women increasingly postpone their first child and their family histories are more diverse and complex. Public and private organisations have adopted legal and social measures to respond to these changes and protect as much as possible individual family members from "family risk." The tempo of these changes and the policy and legal responses vary widely from one European country to another.
The presentation session was devoted to trends in fertility, family structures, and diverse European family policies.
The first round table was focused on the desire for children in Europe. Do people choose to have "very few" or "no" children? What is the desire for children among young women? What is the role of medically assisted procreation techniques and adoption to respond to a strong desire for children and what are the stakes associated with the development of these alternative solutions? Do all Europeans have the same recourse to adoption and medically assisted procreation techniques?
The second round table examined changes in family structure and living conditions in Europe. Two main topics were discussed: first the different modes of reconciling family life and work in European societies, and secondly, the consequences of union disruptions for different family members, specially from the children's point of view.
The third round table showed, through examples, the place of the family and individuals in the social policies and legislation of different European countries. Do differences in social policies and legislation explain differences in fertility levels in Europe? What is the notion of the family and parenthood in European laws? Children are particularly vulnerable; does a standard legislation exist in Europe to protect them? What are in practice the modes of protection for children within the family? How do politicians and society view atypical or rare behaviours that is now rare in Europe such as teenage pregnancy?