08/11/2006: The EU has mobilised to address the demographic problem and its consequences in European countries. The European Parliament, with its legislative power, has a major role to play in the initiatives taken by the European Commission, which has been charged with developing specific studies on effective solutions for the demographic problem. On the occasion of the Forum that was organised by the European Commission on the 30th and 31st of October in Brussels, the Greek Member of the European Parliament (EPP-ED), MEP Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou (EPP-ED, GR) President of the EP Intergroup on "Family and the Protection of Childhood" was invited to chair a session related to the presentation of the EP's pilot actions on demography.
Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou highlighted the need to adopt all necessary measures in favour of multidimensional support for families and older people. She pointed out that all avenues should be explored in order to reverse unfavourable demographic developments, considering that the increase of the population from immigrant flows is only a temporary solution to this crucial problem.
The Forum serves as a continuation of the deliberations that started with civil society on the occasion of the publication of the Green Book on Demography in 2005. The organisation of this event is linked to the recent Commission's Communication (12 October 2006) on "The Future of Demography in Europe - a challenge or an opportunity?"
The debates, which lasted two days, gathered more than 400 participants, including Ministers, representatives of the EU Institutions, non-Governmental Organisations, experts and political analysts. The working groups addressed various aspects of the problem and the means to achieve full implementation of the projects which have been developed within the framework of specific studies. The main objectives were the following:
Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou highlighted the need to adopt all necessary measures in favour of multidimensional support for families and older people. She pointed out that all avenues should be explored in order to reverse unfavourable demographic developments, considering that the increase of the population from immigrant flows is only a temporary solution to this crucial problem.
The Forum serves as a continuation of the deliberations that started with civil society on the occasion of the publication of the Green Book on Demography in 2005. The organisation of this event is linked to the recent Commission's Communication (12 October 2006) on "The Future of Demography in Europe - a challenge or an opportunity?"
The debates, which lasted two days, gathered more than 400 participants, including Ministers, representatives of the EU Institutions, non-Governmental Organisations, experts and political analysts. The working groups addressed various aspects of the problem and the means to achieve full implementation of the projects which have been developed within the framework of specific studies. The main objectives were the following:
- The need to create suitable conditions for the demographic renewal of the European population through the support of families and the promotion of gender equality.
- Use of human resources within the framework of "active ageing".
- Development of productivity and economic adjustment to the changing needs of an ageing society.
- Integration of immigrants into society and the labour market.
- Sound budgetary policies and long-term viability of social protection systems.
The presentation of the Eurobarometer study in 2006 on fertility and ageing showed that more than 50% of people questioned (above the age of 15 years old) would like to have two children and 30% wish to have three children or more. In Greece, the fertility rate for 2004 - 2005 reached 1,3%, placing the country together with Italy, Spain, Lithuania, Latvia and Hungary at the lowest level of the scale. It appears from the answers that were given that the reasons for which citizens do not have their desired number of children are mainly related to health problems that couples encounter (for example the advanced age of women for procreation, the average in Greece is 30 years old and in the EU is 25-29 years old) as well as the absence of the "right" partner. Even though working time and conciliation of family and private life are often mentioned as obstacles to the creation of a family, the study reveals that these are not the main reasons for which couples do not have the desired number of children.
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