Brussels, 2 March 2017

Tomorrow is the European Day for a Work-Free Sunday and the European Federation of Catholic Family Associations (FAFCE), in the framework of the European Sunday Alliance, wishes to raise awareness on the importance of preserving the Sunday as a Common day of rest for all EU Member States. FAFCE’s President, Antoine Renard, stresses that “Europe should not forget the Sunday. European institutions and Member States should promote a work-free Sunday and give it its right place in the legislation”.

José Veiga de Macedo, FAFCE’s Vice-President from Portugal, highlighted that “Traditionally, Sunday – as a day of common rest, has also been a moment of encounter. Therefore, it is crucial to retrieve it as a moment of rest, but especially as a unique time of strengthening, elevation”.

Alfred Trendl, President of Katholische Familienverband Österreichs, Austrian Member of FAFCE, points out that – “from a socio-political point of view, the non-working Sunday influences the religious, cultural and family life of a big part of the population and is therefore providing psycho-social services to the entire society”.

FAFCE’s Secretary General, Maria Hildingsson, recalls that “MEPs who signed the FAFCE Manifesto during the last European elections in 2014 committed themselves to keep Sunday as a common weekly day of rest. In fact, a better articulation of the balance between family life and work for the benefit of the family is essential for European Society – and the demography of our continent, and Sunday is at the centre of this balance. Let’s prepare the ground already for next Elections and let’s make heard our voice to parties and policy-makers: Sunday matters!”.

As a Member of the European Sunday Alliance, FAFCE calls on the European Commission to take into account the importance of the Sunday as a common day of rest and of a better work-family life balance, in its legislative proposals, as recently highlighted in the FAFCE contribution to the Public Consultation towards a European Pillar of Social Rights.

Contact:
Maria Hildingsson
+32 4 70 20 39 18
info@fafce.org