internal policy documents
Appeal of Vienna
Last Updated: 14.09.2025on Reform of Final Examinations in Secondary Education Representatives of parents’ organisations, teachers and students as well as of ministries and universities from German speaking European countries joined a conference in Vienna to develop concepts appropriate for the European Educational Area. We agree, that • Final examinations in secondary education (German: Matura, Abitur, Maturitätsprüfung) have...
Balancing Work and Family Life
Last Updated: 14.09.2025EPA Reconciliation Package One of the main EPA policy documents highlighting the issues European parents are facing is the Leave of Absence manifesto, dating back to 2009. In this document there are two areas covered in relation to reconciling work and family life, namely on the one hand demanding legal structures and resources guaranteeing that...
Declaration of Zaragoza – 2008
Last Updated: 14.09.2025Parents have the right to educate their children according to their principles and moral, philosophical, religious or pedagogical convictions and, therefore, to choose the children’s school and manner of education. No other body has the legitimacy to usurp this right or to impose a moral and ideological indoctrination. All persons are entitled to receive quality...
Leave of Absence
Last Updated: 14.09.2025Resolution for the overall recognition of a legal basis for the parents as representative Pointing out the obligation to the States to guarantee the respect of the educative activities and tasks of families and recognising that this obligation is leading to an approach of sharing education that requires to keep and to reinforce the partnership...
Manifesto 2000
Last Updated: 14.09.2025European Parents Association PRESIDENTS’ CONFERENCE Brussels – 19 & 20 February 2000 49 Presidents of 21 Countries representing the national parents associations, members of EPA, met at the European level to exchange and compare in order to promote education. Considering that: Education is one of the fundamental domains of European democracy; Parents and their associations...
Manifesto 2015
Last Updated: 14.09.2025of European Parents for a European Future of Our Children in the 21st Century Celebrating 30 years of being the sole representative of parents in Europe, the European Parents’ Association (EPA) has reviewed its policy and activities to formulate a list of necessary measures in order to provide our children with an upbringing ensuring that...
Parents Rights Charter
Last Updated: 14.09.2025Rights and duties of parents in Europe Parents have the right to raise their children in a society without discrimination on the grounds of the color of their skin, sex, ethnic, social background, disability, nationality, beliefs, gender orientation or economic position. Parents have the duty to raise their children towards a sense of responsibility for...
Position Paper on Cyberbullying and Social Networks
Last Updated: 14.09.2025Introduction We live in a globalized, open world, full of opportunities and with unlimited access to a significant amount of information. Our children are members of social networks, and despite our concerns, appear to be engaging with them more and more and a younger and younger age. We are the first generation of parents and...
Resolution on Vacations
Last Updated: 14.09.2025European guidelines about Holiday schemes – European School Vacation Schedule in the Interest of Students submitted by APA as resolution – accepted as a EPA position paper (April 22, 2006 at the EPA GA in Zauchensee/Austria) The needs of our youth and children in national school systems must, as a political goal, be regarded more important...
The Best Interest of the Young Child
Last Updated: 14.09.2025Position Paper on Early Childhood Education and Care Needs and Provisions from the Parents’ Perspective Setting the scene: A good start in life is crucial for well-being, but is also crucial not only for physical, but also for social, emotional and cognitive development in later ages. A good start is best provided by parents in the framework of the home...