Brussels, 08/05/2001 (Agence Europe) - The report by Alejandro Cercas Alonso (Spanish, Socialist) on the European Commission's communication of 11 October 2000, entitled "Future evolution of social protection in a long-term perspective: secure and viable pensions" essentially stresses that any "analysis of pension schemes faced with the demographic challenge should not be reduced to the financial dimension alone, but "should also take account of its contribution to social peace and solidarity between generations". The report also states that, if Member States want to guarantee secure and viable pensions, it is important to increase levels of employment and maintain the financial balance between pension schemes. According to Cercas Alonso, however, a certain increase in the weight of expenditure on pensions in relation to the GDP seems inevitable.
The report urges the European Commission to launch campaigns aimed at raising public awareness to the importance of solidarity between generations and with dependent persons, so as to reach a public consensus on the organisation and funding of social protection. In addition; - he is more in favour of pension funds through capitalisation recognised by all the social partners and accessible to all employees than individual pension schemes in the private sector; - he reiterates his request that the EP be fully involved in the European convergence process, which, he says, is not now the case