The demographic situation in the European Union. 1995 Report

The committee adopted a draft report by Mrs Johanna BOOGERD-QUAAK (ELDR, NL) on the demographic situation in the EU, highlighting the impact of the new demographic structure on the European labour market, social security and health costs. The rapporteur urged the Council and the Member States to make every effort to improve the participation of the elderly, women, the young and immigrants in the labour market by introducing incentives to help them acquire better qualifications. She called on the European Commission to launch a debate on the future of pensions and to find innovative ways of funding old age pension schemes. She also called on the Commission to carry out a comparative study into care of the elderly and, finally, to take due consideration of increasing regional imbalances and the demographic factor in the post-1999 revision of the Structural Funds.�