Lymec-PM: ELDR Leaders meeting: LYMEC expresses concerns about inter-generational solidarity (14. Dezember 2009)
ELDR prime ministers, ministers, commissioners and party leaders gathered together on Thursday 10 December for the traditional bi-annual ELDR Leaders and Ministers meeting in advance of the European summit. The main focus of the discussion was the distribution of portfolios in the new European Commission. Other topics on the agenda were the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen and the state of the negotiations for a new global agreement; and the economic and financial situation in the EU.
Aloys Rigaut, President of European Liberal Youth (LYMEC), used the occasion to convey a message of worry and warning: "We young liberals are more and more worried about the future, our future. The level of public debts is rising in the context of the economic crisis and is said to be on the path of reaching a level of 100% GDP by 2014, 40% above the Stability and Growth Pact limit. At the same time, our societies are ageing: by 2050, we will have a ratio of two workers for one pensioner, instead of a four-to-one ratio today, and experts say that we have a 10-years window of opportunity to act before that the babyboom generation retires. And this is not all: what about climate change? Will the deal foreseen in Copenhagen be ambitious enough or will the burden be left to future generations? These are three frightening time-bombs".
He then added: "Of course we can rejoice over the strong liberal influence in the new European Commission, but I would also like to convey a message of worry about the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty and the temptation by some Member States to downscale its initial ambitions. This treaty is the result of an exhausting 10 year's political fight and now it is there, we got it, but if we don't implement it fully, notably as regards foreign policy, we will kill any remaining dose of euro-enthusiasm in this generation for many years to come."
And concluded turning to liberal Prime Ministers, Ministers and Commissioners: "The economic crisis, climate change negotiations and the implementation of the Lisbon treaty are three prominent issues on the agenda of today's EU Summit. Bear in mind that the decisions that you will take at this occasion will shape our future for many years to come".
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