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Demographic changes
are one of EU biggest
challenges
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Europe is facing today
unprecedented demographic
change. People are living
longer and fewer children
are born. In this context,
the European Parliament
adopted today a report about
the challenges for politics
and society due to these
changes. Key issues for the
MEPs are employment
promotion, more attention
for family needs, the
reconciliation of work and
family life, a balanced
immigration policy and the
encouragement for older
people to work longer.
In view of the Commission's
Green Paper "Confronting
demographic change: a new
solidarity between the
generations" MEPs adopted a
report with 448 votes in
favour, 70 against with 20
abstentions concerning the
new challenges in the wake
of an ageing European
population. The report,
drafted by Philip
Bushill-Matthews (EPP-ED, UK)
suggests an increase in
employment and the
prioritisation of family
needs are the key issues for
MEPs to consider.
Particularly with regard to
the Lisbon Agenda and its
aim to increase economic
growth, the demographic
change has to be taken
seriously - the Commission
notes that "never in history
has there been economic
growth without population
growth" and considers there
to be three basic trends
concerning demographic
change: a continuing
increase in longevity; a
continuing growth in the
number of workers over 60;
and continuing low birth
rates. The report points out
that although demographic
change demands adequate
political measures, it "should
not just be treated as a
problem, but also represents
a positive challenge to
societies to engage those in
all age groups and to offer
opportunities which
previously did not exist".
MEPs emphasise that these
three basic trends require
certain political measures
to be taken: a better
promotion of families;
further attention to be paid
to the importance of a
balanced immigration policy;
and the encouragement of
older people to participate
in the labour market.
Further measures should be
taken in order to foster a
reconcilability of work and
family life: "The
improvement of work-life
balance for individuals
should be a perpetual
priority for governments."
The report suggests that
this could be achieved, for
example, through more
flexible working hours,
higher equality in the
work-place, family-friendly
tax policies and better
accessibility to childcare
and dependent-care
facilities. They call upon
the Member States to take
such measures into account,
and adapt their policies
accordingly.
MEPs believe that solidarity
between the generations
means not only a better
integration of young people
- e.g. regarding their
access to the labour market
- but also the promotion of
access to lifelong education
and training for people of
all ages. In this context "the
emphasis should be to
encourage and enable people
to work longer."
The House calls on the
Commission to underline the
importance of demographic
change and its challenges by
understanding it as a
horizontal task, with a view
to mainstreaming it as an
issue in all the Union's
activities. Furthermore, the
Commission should decide on
a more intensive exchange of
views at the Spring Summit.
Appropriate studies,
analyses and a peer review
relating to demographic
change and its impact on
society should be carried
out within the context of
the Community programme
PROGRESS.
MEPs underline the fact that
numerous issues relating to
demographic change in
society fall exclusively
within the sphere of
competence of the Member
States and that therefore
there is no general
Community competence for
establishing European rules
in this area.
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