FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS – SOCIETAL ISSUES / DEMOGRAPHY
EU countries surveyed on sustainability of their social protection systems in face of ageing populations
Brussels, 14/10/2021 (Agence Europe)
On Friday 15 October, the European Ministers for Social Affairs will participate in a working lunch in Luxembourg, on the subject of ageing populations (see EUROPE B12811A23). They will be asked to comment on the need to adapt their social protection systems to this demographic trend.
“With its Green Paper on Ageing (see EUROPE B12645A3), the Commission launched a broad policy debate on the challenges and opportunities presented by Europe’s ageing society. It highlights the importance of striking the right balance between finding sustainable solutions for our welfare systems and strengthening intergenerational solidarity and responsibility”, states the Slovenian Presidency of the EU Council in a note written in preparation for the lunch.
In this note, the Slovenian authorities raise a series of questions on the subject. The ministers will be asked to comment on the national strategies which are to be implemented, and the main obstacles they face in this respect.
The Presidency will also ask them to detail the means that could be deployed at European level to support their efforts.
AGE Platform Europe – an organisation that advocates for the rights of older people alongside the EU – welcomes the debate on the Green Paper, but has some reservations.
“We are disappointed with the way this is worded. The ministers’ approach is limited to the social aspect and therefore reduces older citizens once again to a simple category of people receiving care and pensions, whereas there is an urgent need to change the discourse on ageing”, Julia Wadoux, policy coordinator at the organisation, told EUROPE.
This change in discourse, she noted, had been observed in previous conclusions adopted by the EU Council on the subject.
In March, the EU27 approved a text calling on Member States to integrate the issue of ageing into all their public policies (see EUROPE B12679A25). (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)
