Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-04-10-Speech-3-198"
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"en.20020410.6.3-198"2
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"Mr President, this Parliament is today debating a subject related to an issue that is of concern to everyone. At this very moment, the second United Nations World Assembly on Ageing is taking place in Madrid. I therefore congratulate Mr Fatuzzo on having drafted this report, which highlights just how crucial it is that we come up with a solution to the problem of the future sustainability of pensions systems.
The European Union is facing an enormous challenge in the forthcoming decades as a result of the increased ageing of the population, which is related to the falling birth rate and to greater life expectancy. The ageing of the population and the reduction in the number of people of working age requires innovative and effective policies to be drafted and implemented. It is crucial that the Member States of the European Union undertake a speedy reform of their pension schemes, which will require changes in the organisation of labour, the creation of more and better jobs, specifically for older people, and a redrafting of demographic, birth and immigration policies.
If it takes too long to implement these reforms, as the rapporteur states, the European social model and the growth and economic stability of the European Union will suffer serious consequences. In this field, one of the most important measures is the promotion of policies that foster the idea of active ageing; in other words, every citizen must have the option to retire or to remain in the labour market on a full or part-time basis.
Incentives must therefore be provided for later retirement, lifelong learning must be promoted and health systems must be improved. Legislation regulating social security systems falls within the sole competence of the Member States, as we all know, which explains the considerable differences between these systems. The importance of this issue and its economic and social effects, however, require a global approach and global strategies. The European Union must, therefore, play a leading role in supporting national strategies, by means of an open method of coordination, setting common objectives and working methods, and by promoting the exchange of experiences and of good practices in addition to undertaking an ongoing and coherent evaluation of the progress that has been made.
Another aspect that should be emphasised is the considerable proportion of elderly people in the Member States who are victims of poverty and social exclusion. Pension schemes must contribute to eliminating such problems and to maintaining standards of living that are worthy of the third age. Lastly, I feel obliged to state that current pension schemes are particularly unfavourable to women, and the Member States must, therefore, give priority to gender equality and European legislation that effectively guarantees the principle of non-discrimination on the grounds of gender in pension schemes must be promoted."@en1
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