PRESS RELEASE
EUROPE NEEDS TO ENCOURAGE THEY'RE CHILDREN
With the increasing demographical changes, the EU-commission decides to take up one of the Catholic family associations core themes.
"I am pleased that the European Union member states have agreed that relationships, marriage, and family should be more strongly promoted, if we plan to take care of our demographic problems," said Johannes Fenz, president of the Federation of the Catholic Family Associations in Europe (FAFCE). It is predicted between now and 2050, Europe will experience drastic obsolescence; the percentage population of children will decrease by about 19%, whereas the percentage population of senile people will increase by about 181%. The EU-commission is reacting to these alarming demographical changes by commencing a public consulting process beginning with the Green Paper.
"We know for sure that people in Europe always become older," maintains Johannes Fenz, president of the Federation of the Catholic Family Associations in Europe (FAFCE) in reference to the conference regarding the Green Paper of the EU-commission, "Confronting demographic change: a new solidarity between the generations" "As we give birth to more children it is hard to tell if we will be able to leave behind with them a functioning social system."
The FAFCE represents approximately 11 million families in Europe. In order to create the best basic conditions for desired children, the FAFCE requests that the European Union puts into being extensive safeguard policies for young families, ensuring those conditions.
"This conference confirms that the demographical developments in
Europe, proving to be possible threats, particularly in regard to the
family/work life balance, should be solved as soon as possible. For the
Federation of the Catholic Family Associations in Europe the question
remains as to which process to use for children depending on which stage
of their life they're at. It is necessary to substitute fear with courage
in the European child, and this can only be done if steps in the right
direction are taken, namely steps towards a child-friendly and child-safe
society," Says Fenz in a thoroughly convinced tone.
Ministerial
Conference "Confronting demographic change: a new solidarity between
the generations"