16/11/2005: Participation of Members of the European Parliament of the EPP-ED Group Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou MEP and José Ribeiro e Castro MEP in the International Symposium on Family, Education and Gender.
The International Symposium on "Family, Education and Gender" which was organised by the Higher Institute for Family of the University of Cataluña took place in Barcelona on Saturday the 12th of November 2005. Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou, MEP and President of the Intergroup "on family and the protection of childhood" and Mr Ribeiro e Castro, MEP and Head of the CDS-partido popular in Portugal, both members of the EPP/ED participated in this international meeting.
In her opening speech, Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou reminded that the EU aims at becoming, by 2010, the world's most dynamic and competitive knowledge based economy respectful of the environment and of the European social model. However, in parallel with this ambition, one has to face the increasing danger of the decline of the European demography as underlined in the Green Book on Demography, and therefore, the significant reduction of the active population.
The difficulties which will appear, as a consequence of the increase of the structural imbalance of the age pyramid, in the fields of the renewal of the work force, the financing of pensions and intergenerational solidarity, call for the strengthening of existing community policies- such as the eradication of all forms of discrimination in the labour market, the respect of the principle of equality between men and women, the reconciliation of family and professional life, the promotion of young people and the protection of children, as well as the reform of the pension schemes.
Mr Ribeiro e Castro, who was invited to close the debate, expressed his concerns over the fact that the European social model could disappear because of the incapability for future generations to finance it.
He also indicated that he regretted the poor attention given to families by the public authorities and underlined the necessity to take coordinated actions at international and European level on the topic of "family, education and gender". Finally, he presented an initiative on this regard: the request which was addressed to the European Commission to promote the establishment of a Large Families Forum.
Both MEPs, Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou and Mr Ribeiro e Castro called for the integration of the family dimension into all community policies, the analysis and comparison of effective family policies and the exchange of good practices between Member States.
The International Symposium on "Family, Education and Gender" which was organised by the Higher Institute for Family of the University of Cataluña took place in Barcelona on Saturday the 12th of November 2005. Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou, MEP and President of the Intergroup "on family and the protection of childhood" and Mr Ribeiro e Castro, MEP and Head of the CDS-partido popular in Portugal, both members of the EPP/ED participated in this international meeting.
In her opening speech, Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou reminded that the EU aims at becoming, by 2010, the world's most dynamic and competitive knowledge based economy respectful of the environment and of the European social model. However, in parallel with this ambition, one has to face the increasing danger of the decline of the European demography as underlined in the Green Book on Demography, and therefore, the significant reduction of the active population.
The difficulties which will appear, as a consequence of the increase of the structural imbalance of the age pyramid, in the fields of the renewal of the work force, the financing of pensions and intergenerational solidarity, call for the strengthening of existing community policies- such as the eradication of all forms of discrimination in the labour market, the respect of the principle of equality between men and women, the reconciliation of family and professional life, the promotion of young people and the protection of children, as well as the reform of the pension schemes.
Mr Ribeiro e Castro, who was invited to close the debate, expressed his concerns over the fact that the European social model could disappear because of the incapability for future generations to finance it.
He also indicated that he regretted the poor attention given to families by the public authorities and underlined the necessity to take coordinated actions at international and European level on the topic of "family, education and gender". Finally, he presented an initiative on this regard: the request which was addressed to the European Commission to promote the establishment of a Large Families Forum.
Both MEPs, Mrs Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou and Mr Ribeiro e Castro called for the integration of the family dimension into all community policies, the analysis and comparison of effective family policies and the exchange of good practices between Member States.
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