Brussels, 24/08/2005 (Agence Europe) - The French Economic and Social Committee is participating for the first time in a public consultation launched by the European Commission by publishing its Contribution to the Green Paper on the theme “Confronting demographic change: a new solidarity between the generations” which was launched by the Commission in March 2005 (EUROPE 8910, 8911). The Economic and Social Committee state that “in striving to enlighten the government in the preparation of the French position on the Green Paper” it “endorses the line of recent work on the Lisbon strategy” and “also intends to register its commitment to a Europe which is competitive, social and in solidarity, where each component of society, whatever their age, must have a place”. The conclusion of the communication from the delegation of the Economic and Social Committee for the European Union (presented by its President Evelyne Pichenot) emphasises “the importance of the implementation of the principles contained in the Charter of Fundamental Rights to give meaning to the adaptation of social protection systems, which must be considered as a productive investment”. The communication also notes that “creating a new dynamism in our societies, what we call the Lisbon process, including the demographic dimensions” occurs through “a vision of social and territorial cohesion supported by adequate Community support”, which requires the European Union to make the necessary financial means available. The communication indicates that from the discussions between members of the Economic and Social Committee “there emerged the notion of a new pact between the generations”, which should “be focused on young people, based on confidence in a new inter-generational balance and conceived as an important element in sustainable development”. In the view of the Economic and Social Committee, “the European Union's social policy should contribute to the emergence of this new pact (…) which should link up with national policies, be based on a constructive dialogue with the social partners and take account of contributions of civil society”. The communication underlines the importance of broadening social and economic dialogue “to prepare, ensure and reinforce the legitimacy of the necessary decisions”, all the more so when “there is a serious deficit of public debate on economic and social issues”.
The report reviews the problems posed by the European demographic decline in chapters devoted to the following issues: - low birth rates: a more balanced distribution of domestic and family responsibilities between men and women, training to bring skills up to date for the return to work after parental leave, neighbourhood services; - possible contribution of immigration: “broad distribution of information on the advantages of regular, controlled immigration (…), combating the idea that immigrants take jobs away from national citizens”, European and national strategies “to combat all forms of discriminations”, the integration of migrants and special measures for women and young people; - “better integrated younger generations”: the role of Community policies in combating poverty among children and single-parent families and the risk of exclusion of young people, the contribution of the structural funds and instruments for improved access to knowledge, improvements in the transition between school and work, the role of youth organisations, solidarity to be developed between young people and older generations; - general approach to an active “life cycle”: allowing older people to work longer, optimising the experience of employees' at the end of their career, making retirement “a chosen and progressive process” (the communication notes that in some countries - Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands - the employment rate of older employees had gone up considerably thanks to the development of chosen part-time employment); - “a new place for older people”: options for continuing to set a legal retirement age or permitting flexible retirement, accumulation of salaries and pensions, the development of activities employing older people in the voluntary sector and the social economy, investments in health;
- solidarity with very old people: distribution of elderly care between families, social services and institutions, training of qualified staff, use of new technologies (monitoring emerging diseases, tele-assistance, tele-monitoring etc) to support older people.
The Economic and Social Committee report is published by Les éditions des Journaux Officiels, 26 rue Desaix 75727 Paris, cedex 15. (Info: info@journal-officiel.gouv.fr).