Brussels, 13/10/2004 (Agence Europe) - At the conference organised by the Economic and Social Committee of the Committee of the Regions (COR) on 4 October in Lisbon on the Lisbon Strategy (EUROPE 16 September p 18), the Dutch minister of economic affairs Laurens-Jan Brinkhorst highlighted the trends exerting negative pressure on the European welfare systems, notably the ageing population, which was provoking financial consequences and economic slowdown. The president of the Council also...