Presidents of the standing committees in charge of social affairs
Meeting program
Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th July 2008
The main challenges facing social welfare in the European Union’s member States
14 h - 20 h Participants check in the hotels booked for the Conference
20 h Welcome speech by Pierre Méhaignerie, President of the National Assembly’s standing committee on cultural, family and social affairs
Thursday 10th July, 2008
Theme : employment, pensions, aging populations
9 h 30 - 9 h 40 Opening address by Nicolas About, President of the Senate's standing committee on social affairs: “employment access (employment of the older workers, employment of the handicapped) and compensating revenues (minimum income and unemployment benefits)”
9 h 40 - 9 h 55 Address by Vladimir Spidla, Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities : “employment, pensions, aging populations : what are the European policies ?”
9 h 55 - 10 h 10 Address by Valérie Létard, Secretary of State in charge of solidarity: “a new branch of the welfare system, compensating dependency”
10 h 10 - 11 h 00 Debate
11 h 15 - 12 h 30 Debate
12 h 30 - 12 h 45 Group photo shoot of the participants
12 h 45 - 14 h 15 Lunch in the Senate - Salons de Boffrand
14 h 15 - 14 h 30 Meeting with the press
Theme : health, health insurance
14 h 30 - 14 h 45 Address by Pierre Méhaignerie, President of the National Assembly's standing committee on cultural, family and social affairs: “how much can health expenditure increase as regards foreseeable economic growth in the European Union? How far should health costs be taken in charge by public funding and private insurance”
14 h 45 - 16 h 15 Debate
16 h 15 - 16 h 30 Address by Roselyne Bachelot, Minister for health, youth and sports : “the priorities of the French presidency regarding health”
16 h 30 Closing of the Conference