Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Brussels (Fides Service) - On the occasion of Europe Day on 9 May, the European network of Family Policy Institutes (IPF) presented Report on the Evolution of the Family in Europe 2007 to the European Parliament. A year ago IPF presented its first such report to the European Parliament. Since then two more countries joined to EU and the situation has somewhat changed. The 2007 report prepared by a multidisciplinary team of experts, presents and analyses the most important indicators concerning the family, based on information from a number of international bodies.
As a result of the analysis, IPF proposes the adoption of a series of social, economic, cultural measures which it considers essential to implant in European policies an authentic "family vision ".
The report has three parts: an analysis of the family in Europe and its evolution in the last 25 years under various aspects: demographic, birth rate, marriages, housing. The second part examines the evolution of distinct policies applied in this period by the European Commission. The third part presents measures which IPF consider indispensable for authentic integral family policies.
According to IPF Europe president Lola Velarde, the indicators with regard to population, birth rate, marriages, broken marriages and homes have become substantially worse in these 25 years. "The deterioration of the family panorama in Europe is concerning". The report says that in recent years population growth in Europe is due almost exclusively to immigration. Europe is an old continent with more people of over 65 than minors under 14 and less children are born every year.
Another concerning fact in Europe is that every 25 seconds another child is aborted. With regard to marriages, the numbers continue to fall and broken marriages lead to than one million divorces, one every 30 seconds. Every year in the EU two million babies, one out of three, are born out of wedlock. But the most concerning fact according to Lola Velarde, is that the Europe has abandoned the family in this period (1980-2006). If to this we add that many countries destine scarce resources to the family would could say that Europe shows little interest in the Family. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 12/5/2007; righe 30, parole 401)
