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Every European child should have a better start in life, according to an action plan launched by the European Commission aimed at laying the foundations or successful lifelong learning, social integration, personal development and employability later in life.

Currently, one out of five children in Europe are at risk of poverty and the European Commission calls on member states to focus on early intervention to help meet the goal of lifting 20 million people out of the risk of poverty and social exclusion by 2020.

Investing in early education and care is one of the best investments we can make for our children – and for Europe's future," said Androulla Vassiliou, EU commissioner for education, culture, multilingualism and youth. The Commissioner emphasised early intervention is "much more effective than intervening later" and it also "saves money in the long run".

"Breaking the cycle of poverty and disadvantage also means lower costs for the taxpayer for health and hospital services, remedial schooling, welfare and policing," the Cypriot Commissioner said.

The action plan unveiled by Commissioner Vassiliou seeks to ensure pre-school education and care is available to each European child, including those coming from the most disadvantaged background.  The Commission calls for an integrated approach to education and care and focus on development of each child.

It recommends developing age appropriate curricula that balances hard and soft skills and urges member states to invest in developing professional qualifications of staff as well as their pay and other working conditions.

Compulsory education starts at the age of 5 or 6 in most Member States, though earlier in Cyprus, Luxembourg and Northern Ireland in the UK. The level of services provided for young children up to the start of compulsory education varies considerably across Europe in terms of funding, governance and staffing policies.  In 2009, Education Ministers set a target for 95% of children from the age of 4 to receive early childhood education and care. The current EU average is 92.3%, but, here too, the figures vary widely and do not necessarily reflect the quality of services provided.

EU Education Ministers would be considering the Commission's proposals in their meeting in May where they would be identifying the key priorities and defining the best way to go forward. At the European level, the Commission would also rioritise investments in the area of early education and care through the European Social Fund and European Regional Development Fund, as well as through support from the Lifelong Learning Programme and the 7th Framework Programme for Research and Development.