Care on the move: the gender care gap and intra-EU mobility

The structure, interpretation, and implementation of the European Union (EU) free movement of persons rules mean that when one's circumstances involve caring responsibilities, the quality of one's rights and protections under EU law diminishes. The consequence of this, in the context of the gender care gap, is that women who are exercising their free movement rights and living in another EU member state are exposed to a disproportionately increased risk of legal and physical precarity, poverty, destitution, and exploitation. They face challenges in attaining and retaining rights and are at risk of falling through gaps that exist between legal rules. Furthermore, the gender care gap is not visible. The connection between the gender care gap and the EU free movement rules has not been made by EU policy makers and civil society; there is currently no strategy among EU civil society organizations to represent the lived experience of EU citizens and lobby the EU institutions for progress on gender equality in this regard.

Automated summary

The structure and implementation of EU free movement rules result in a diminished quality of rights and protections for individuals with caring responsibilities. As a result, women exercising their free movement rights in another EU member state face increased risks of legal and physical precarity, poverty, destitution, and exploitation. The connection between the gender care gap and EU free movement rules has not been recognized by policy makers and civil society, leading to a lack of strategy for addressing gender equality in this regard.