EESC opinion: Promoting solidarity between the generations

EESC opinion: Promoting solidarity between the generations

Key points

The EESC expresses its profound appreciation of the Commission's Communication, which sets out a practical agenda for lending substance to the proposed Alliance for Families.

Vigilance will be required, then, to ensure that this new work does not get sidelined.

More generally, the important thing is to give tangible recognition to the practical and substantial contribution that families continue to make to our societies. The EESC believes that the creation of an observatory on best family policy practices within the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions should be supported.

Vigilance will then be required to ensure that the prime focus of this observatory is not limited solely to family issues involving work, but that it is also directed towards the compilation of a detailed survey on the needs of the family and the generations. The proposal for a revision of VAT rates on baby products would seem particularly worthy of attention.