Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-02-20-Speech-3-418"
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"en.20080220.17.3-418"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the question of Europe’s demographic future has merited significant attention from this Parliament. In Lisbon, I advocated, together with my colleague, Edite Estrela, a public hearing on demography and solidarity between generations during the debate on the Bushill-Matthews report. The report by Mrs Castex, for which I congratulate her, falls within a broader perspective – that of the demographic future of Europe.
The challenges of solidarity are not just between generations, but also between regions, and cover the integration of migrants, human resource policies and, of course, the challenge of demographic renewal.
Such demographic renewal, ladies and gentlemen, involves considering the importance of childcare facilities, which make it easier for parents to enter the labour market and help to combat poverty, particularly for one-parent families.
It is also important, however, to take into account that some of the objectives aptly laid down in Barcelona in this and other fields, have not yet been achieved in various countries; I would stress greater participation by women in working life and support for employment for the over 55s.
From the tax point of view, too, it is important for Member States to reflect upon the possibility of promoting effective measures to boost the birth rate, in order to reduce the financial constraints on choosing to have more children.
Let us be clear, it is still important that workers should be able, if they so wish, to prolong their working life within the existing legal framework of each Member State, but the right to a pension at the legal age must be safeguarded. It is, of course, essential to work towards greater sustainability of social security systems.
The future of Europe in population terms has much to do with immigration from the south, and therefore the education systems need to take into account the needs of immigrants and their families, so that they can feel happy and fulfilled in the various EU Member States.
In conclusion: the demographic future of Europe depends also upon us, the European Parliament. I am sure we shall measure up to our responsibilities."@en1
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