On 16 June 2026 — International Domestic Workers’ Day — the General Assembly of the European Federation for Family Employment & Home Care (EFFE) convened to elect a new Executive Board, marking a historic milestone in the Federation’s journey.
As EFFE builds on thirteen years of achievements and advocacy, the Presidency passes beyond its founding President. The General Assembly has elected Andrea Zini as the new President of EFFE. A labour law consultant by training, Andrea Zini is President of Assindatcolf — the Italian National Association of Domestic Employers — and President of Fidaldo, the Italian Federation of Domestic Employers, where he has led negotiations on the national collective agreement for the domestic sector and championed fair employment conditions for both workers and household employers. He has been a dedicated member of EFFE since its early years and has served as Vice-President of the Federation, making him a natural and trusted successor to lead the organisation into its next phase.
The new Board is completed by Julie L’Hôtel Delhoume (FEPEM, France) and Karmele Acedo (Grupo SSI, Spain) as Vice-Presidents, and Anita Poutard (Iperia, France) as Treasurer.
On behalf of the entire EFFE community, the new Executive Board pays tribute to Marie Béatrice Levaux, founding President of EFFE, whose vision, determination and unwavering commitment built the Federation from the ground up. Over more than a decade, she turned a nascent initiative into a recognised European voice for the household employment model — shaping the EU policy agenda on personal and household services, championing the recognition of household employers and domestic workers alike, and making the PHS sector impossible to ignore in Brussels. Her legacy is the foundation on which EFFE will continue to build.
“Marie Béatrice Levaux did not simply lead EFFE — she created it, breathed life into it, and carried it forward with extraordinary energy and conviction. We honour her legacy by committing to carry it even further,” said Andrea Zini.
The new Board takes office with a clear mandate built on three pillars:
• Continuity — upholding EFFE’s core mission: the recognition of domestic & home care across Europe, the formalisation of the sector, and the fight against undeclared work;
• Renewal — bringing fresh energy, new partnerships, and an expanded European voice to address the evolving landscape of care, migration, and digital transformation in the PHS sector;
• Reinforcement — deepening EFFE’s engagement in EU social dialogue, strengthening cooperation with EFFAT, EFSI and Uni Europa within the PHS sectoral framework, and advancing concrete tools such as tax incentive schemes, digital declarative platforms, and professional pathways for domestic workers.
That this transition takes place on International Domestic Workers’ Day is both symbolic and fitting. EFFE represents private households employing nearly 10 million workers across Europe — women and men who provide essential support to ageing populations, enable families to balance professional and personal lives, facilitate access to the labour market for women, and contribute to addressing Europe’s demographic challenges.
The new Executive Board reaffirms EFFE’s commitment to:
— Improving wages, working conditions and social protection for domestic workers;
— Professionalising the sector and recognising the skills of those who work in it;
— Ensuring a fair and enabling environment for household employers;
— Advocating for a coherent EU Care Strategy that places domestic & home care at its centre.
“On this International Domestic Workers’ Day, we reaffirm that domestic and home care workers are not peripheral — they are essential. EFFE exists to make sure Europe’s institutions recognise that, and act accordingly,” said Andrea Zini.
The European Federation for Family Employment & Home Care (EFFE) was founded in 2013 and represents national stakeholders in the domestic & home care sector across Europe. EFFE advocates for the recognition and formalisation of domestic employment, improved working conditions, social dialogue, and the development of a genuine EU policy on personal and household services. www.effe-homecare.eu | @EFFE_EU