European Liberals shape their policies on demographic change

What’s the issue?
Demographic change will take effect in the next five to ten years and requires us to look now at how Europe can maintain a workforce that can innovate, create and ensure long-term economic growth and competitiveness on the global stage.

The ELDR Party has launched a Focus Year on demographic change with a special website that aims to highlight the main talking points, what’s at stake and what our liberal democrat positions are.

Who are the players?
Contributors to the discussions on the Focus Year website include the liberal European Commissioners: Cecilia Malmström (Home Affairs) Olli Rehn (Economic and Monetary Affairs), and Androula Vassiliou (Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth); Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck MEP, ELDR President, and Leoluca Orlando MP, ELDR Vice President; and Barbro Westerholm MP. They are just some of the many active politicians committed to tackling this issue.

 What are the latest talking points?
Below are some of the many proposals put forward this week on the Focus Year website: 

• Setting appropriate conditions for older workers to remain active in the labour market for longer;
• Making the most of labour immigration and adopting the “Blue Card Directive”;
• Improving Europe’s education and training systems;
• Supporting youths in their transition to work and in their efforts to engage in our societies and helping them to study and work abroad.

Where I can find info?
www.eldrfocus.eu is a platform for exchanging points of view about demographic change. It contains latest information, frequent updates and new, friendly features that help members and citizens to get quickly acquainted with European Liberal Democrat opinions.

Everybody can contribute by submitting an opinion article, commenting on the views of others and taking part in our poll, which is regularly updated.