What will European political parties do for older persons during the next term? We will publish here information on their Manifesto and highlight the commitments which matter for Europe’s senior citizens. Let’s continue with the European People’s Party (EPP).
(Excerpts from the EPP Manifesto 2014, you may access to the full Manifesto here)
Over time, the EPP has become Europe’s largest political family, uniting parties of the centre-right across the continent.
We believe that Europe is a vast community of values and principles among which freedom, responsibility, justice, security, respect for the dignity of human life and equality between men and women. We want a healthy society with a new emphasis on solidarity between all Europeans. The European Union must become stronger, simpler and more democratic. The European institutions should focus on specific major issues while leaving other matters to the Member States; we do not want a centralised Europe. Yet we believe in a more politically integrated Eurozone, as we consider the euro to be a reliable currency that assures political stability and makes us more competitive internationally.
As the party of responsible government, we are determined to lead Europe out of the crisis and to create jobs and growth through reforms and smart investments, while preserving social cohesion and good standards of living for all Europeans.
- Creating a better Europe for all citizens
The EPP supports a European Union that tackles the big issues together, leaving the smaller issues to the capable responsibility of individual countries, and believes in building a more open, more responsive, more democratic Europe.
- From reform to growth
The EPP will create conditions that favour small and medium-sized businesses, family farms, start-ups and entrepreneurs, including R&D funding, private investment, and more accessible lending. It will also invest in education, research and technology, leading to innovation, new ideas, a competitive economy rooted in knowledge and new digital services.
- Building a social market economy to combine freedom and solidarity
The EPP will balance the principles of freedom and solidarity, champion an EU energy market, and invest in low carbon technologies.
- Movement of Europeans within Europe
The EPP sees mobility as an absolute right that benefits people, businesses and the economy: freeing our citizens to work at home and abroad.
- Controlling immigration into Europe to ensure internal security
The EPP demands greater cooperation between EU countries on border management, to show solidarity with countries that are on the front line of migration flows.
- Fighting organised crime
The EPP will lead the fight against terrorism and crime.
- Ensuring data protection as a human right
The EPP vows to reinforce citizens’ privacy rights, protecting personal data.
- Promoting peace and stability in a globalised world
The EPP will boost Europe’s Foreign, Security and Defence capacities – enhancing its ability to act in the world.
- Being more prudent about EU enlargement
The EPP favours judicious enlargement, while retaining the identity of the EU, and taking the EU’s capacity to integrate into consideration.
- Spreading democracy and the rule of law in our immediate neighbourhood
The EPP will work to create a prosperous, democratic and stable neighbourhood.
- Building a trustful Trans-Atlantic partnership
The EPP welcomes the trade negotiations with the US, as long as the agreement protects Europe’s high standards, and that important elements of our European identity are safeguarded.
- Making our development policy more effective
The EPP wants a development policy that is effective, accountable, aimed at reducing poverty, and is based on the principles of the Social Market Economy.
What is of interest for European senior citizens?
The EPP believes that the economy should serve the people, and not the other way around. We welcome this acknowledgement and believe this must be and remain the cornerstone of all policy developments. The creation of the right conditions for new and sustainable growth and jobs is mentioned as the EPP’s main priority for the next term. Moreover, they see data protection as a fundamental, inalienable human right. Privacy is a key principle for older persons, which must in particular be respected when developing eHealth, telemonitoring and more in general ICT for ageing well.
