More unity less cuts

Joining forces to prevent cuts to the European Social Fund. It is the content of the appeal presented during the Joint Parlamentary Meeting titled “Social Cohesion and demographic development in a sustainable Europe”, held past December 5-6 at the European Parliament in Brussels. A wide range of issues were tackled during the joint meeting of MEPs and national MPs of EU Member States, co-chaired by EP president Jerzy Buzek, by the presidents of SEJM and of the Polish Senate, Ewa Kopacz and Bogdan Borusewicz. Ewa Kopacz underlined that the EU and its Member States are called to assume responsible decisions, marked by solidarity in the areas of social cohesion and demographic development. “If Europe wants to meet its goals – the speaker underlined – and recover the path of sustainable development, it is necessary to follow closely the evolution of European society”. For this reason, according to Jerzy Buzek, “the crisis could represent the right time to complete social reforms”.Pension system. Young generations now live longer, that’s why cohesion policies ought to involve senior citizens to a larger extent. In the debate the need emerged to extend retirement age across member States and create the conditions to enable those who wish to remain in the working environment to do so as envisaged by the law. However, a problem affecting the elderly and the youth alike is the lack of employment. If they both compete for the same jobs, the risk is to spark off a cross-generational war. The Vice-President of the Economic Commission of the Polish SEJM Andrzej Czerwinski, reiterated that this possibility will be thwarted only by creating a cross-generational relationship based on mutual solidarity, and by overcoming a set of stereotypes. For example: senior citizens who work longer do not pose a threat to the future of the youth. Conversely, by doing so they will receive less contributions and will be less of a burden to society. Indeed “the involvement of the elderly” is an important resource for the working environment also as relates to formation. Researches conducted in European countries show that those with enough years of pensionable service have completed higher education courses and enjoy good health. They could therefore provide counseling to youth entering the job environment and act as enterprise consultants.Education. It is necessary to invest more in the vocational training of the young and of the elderly, through targeted projects and scholarships and promoting mobility across Member States. EPP group MEP Danuta Jazlowiecka pointed out: “17% of all citizens are in favour of occupational mobility, but only 2% of them are actually willing to leave their country”. To invert this trend, said Jean Louis Lorrain, from the French Senate, it is necessary “to ensure the equivalence of formal qualifications”. Pervenche Berès, MEP from the Socialist and Democrat group pointed out: “In the ongoing emergency situation, in order to address the financial problems linked to sovereign debt, European Social funds for education and vocational training risk being subjected to cuts”. Before this scenario, Mieczyslaw Augustyn, member of the Polish Senate, highlighted the importance for concerted action aimed at limiting public expenditure whilst preserving public subsidies to social policies by means of ongoing monitoring and control, prioritizing efficiency.Equal opportunities. We are witnessing a relentless birth rate decrease due to the lack of policies in support of women who decide to have children without leaving their jobs. Liberal-Democrat MEP Gesine Meissner, underlined that at present the European Parliament “is committed to ensure that all women enjoy twenty weeks of maternity leave while preserving their full salary” (or with a minor decrease). However, this requires “a change in mentality” by employers, and by men, who ought to be granted paternity leaves to assist women in raising their children. Women must also be enabled to return to work at the end of the maternity leave. For this, it is necessary to invest on infrastructures, such as kindergartens. In the two-day debate sessions, all political groups underlined the need for cohesion in the defense of the European Social Fund. Everyone must feel involved since “the decisions taken today will impact competitiveness and European cohesion tomorrow”, underlined Augustyn who added, quoting a famous Polish journalist: “Europe isn’t living a crisis. Europe is living a consequence, resulting from our past negligence. Now we have to look at the future with far-sightedness”.