Brussels, 15/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - The consultations launched on 7 July regarding the Commission's Green Paper on the future of pensions in Europe will conclude on 15 November. A summary report by the Commission will subsequently be published, before any communication is adopted. If a communication is adopted, it will list possible options on how to reform the pension systems in the EU, with each member state carrying out the reforms required under its own legislation and taking account of its own specific nature.
The communication will also help to make it possible to follow developments in the situation in each country, but also to define the common challenges, the main one being demographics.
In addition, Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Lázsló Andor is to hold a conference in Brussels on 29 October on the Green Paper on pensions. Amongst those taking part will be the Belgian Minister for Pensions Michel Daerden, Hungarian Minister for National Resources Miklos Réthelyi, Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Olli Rehn, and members of the European Parliament and representatives of the European social partners and civil society.
It is worth noting that the Commission's Green Paper calls for a gradual adaptation to the ageing population and for a long-term adjustment plan to be created as quickly as possible for pension practices and the terms and conditions for pension entitlement. The economic and financial crisis has shown that more should have been done to increase the effectiveness and security of the pension regimes, which provide a way for people to spend their old age under acceptable conditions and which also represent an entire working life. The aim is to allow the European citizens to have adequate and sustainable pension income. In order to do this, we must move towards extending working life and postponing the effective retirement age, the Commission states in its Green Paper (EUROPE 10176).
Consultations on this dossier are therefore continuing against a backdrop of a further national day of demonstrations, scheduled for this Saturday 16 October in France and set to continue until Tuesday in protest against pension reform, particularly increasing retirement age. These demonstrations illustrate the great sensitivity of this issue to the citizens and governments of the EU as a whole. (G.B./transl.fl)