In this conference-edifice on the "Springer Castle" compound in Vienna are held traditional ESCU "South-Eastern Europe" regional conferences

Updated  Including  the speech delivered by Dr. Worms.

“Motor of European Solidarity”

Report on the 3rd Regional Conference “South-Eastern Europe” on 26/27 May 2009 in Vienna

By Dr. Hermann Berié

Vienna, 27th of May 2009. The conference was an impressive proof of the vitality and impact of the European Senior Citizens’ Union and a burning appeal for the European Elections 2009. It documented the lively participation of the Austrian Senior Citizens Union (ÖSB) for Senior Citizen Candidate Heinz K. Becker selected through direct vote, whose presentation as a passionate advocate of the interests of Senior Citizens in Europe was convincing.

The conference also made clear that only an election result confirming the EPP as strongest faction in the European parliament could realize the maxim  coined by the main speaker, former Austrian Federal Chancellor Dr. Wolfgang Schüssel “Europe protects and benefits everybody” and so guarantee the greatest possible benefits for senior citizens.

In Detail:

Around 80 political celebrities from the region, i.e. from Bulgaria, Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary took part in the conference under the motto “The European Union as Motor of European Solidarity,” along with representatives from senior citizens organizations from Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Malta, Spain, Sweden, South Tyrol the Czech Republic and Cyprus. Also attending were the director of the Robert Schuman Institute, the political foundation of the European Peoples Party (CES), and the Political Academy of the Austrian Peoples Party, who co-organized and supported the conference, and the General Secretary of the Austrian Peoples Party Dipl.Ing. Fritz Kaltenegger.

The federal chairman of the Austrian Senior Citizens Union and former National Assembly President Dr. Andreas Khol opened the conference. He underlined the importance of the event just before the elections, but did not hide his concern in view of the anticipated further reduction in turn out. Nonetheless, he expressed his hope that the EPP would remain the strongest power within the EP and so ensure re-election of commission president Barrosso.

Following greetings from the general secretary of the Austrian Peoples Party, Dipl.Ing. Fritz Kaltenegger, director of the Political Academy of the Austrian Peoples Party, Dr. Dietmar Halper, and director of the Robert Schuman Institute, Dr. von der Bank, the European Senior Citizens’ Union president Dr. Bernhard Worms introduced the theme of the conference. He noted the words of Konrad Adenauer, that the EU is a “necessity for all.” There is no turning back from Europe. Driving forces along the way are the ideals already coined by Thomas Aquinas; personality, subsidiarity, and solidarity. Solidarity should however never be confused with social harmonization, which aims to bring all social services to the respectively highest level. This is already purely financially impossible, as it would entail astronomical costs in the region of over a billion Euros annually. A social Europe must more be understood as an aim which is only to be achieved long-term through maintaining national characteristics and economic realities.

In the subsequent discussion led by the European Senior Citizens’ Union vice president, former federal minister, and long-standing European parliamentarian Dr. Marilies Flemming, almost all representatives of invited European Senior Citizens’ Union member organizations contributed.

The central theme of the second day of the conference was the speech by the former federal chancellor Dr. Wolfgang Schüssel who founded his hopes for a good election result in Austria and across Europe with the fact that EU has become a model of success and, since it’s entry 14 years ago, has moved Austria from the edge to the centre of Europe along with an undreamt of economic boost. Europe has introduced far-reaching protection precisely for senior citizens as, for instance, consumers, investors and particularly vulnerable victims of inflation. When the treaty of Lisbon can is finally come into effect, this protection will also be extended to the foreign relations and defence, as Europe will then be able to finally raise its voice in the world with effect which despite the already achieved high economic and welfare standards has as yet not been the case. No less important is strengthening of subsidiarity, only so can it be prevented that the commission, when also with good intentions, is involved in every detail and so presents euro sceptics with a welcome opportunity for criticism.

After Dr. Schüssel had closed his speech with the appeal for re-election of Heinz Becker as a superb candidate for a European minister, he went into a string of questions from the audience. He was finally thanked by Dr. Worms for his great political achievements and left the podium to lively applause wishing “everyone all the best for the end of the election campaign.”

Subsequently Heinz K. Becker presented himself as the Austrian senior citizens candidate for Europe and convincingly explained why “a seat and vote in the European parliament belongs to us, the senior citizens.” His aim as minister would be to expand the exemplary legal structure in Austria benefiting senior citizens to the whole of Europe, whereby the creation of a European senior citizens council would be a first step.

In an informative speech the acting provincial chair of the Vorarlberg Senior citizens’ association Dr. Walter Ender, explained cross border leasing and the associated drastic consequences of speculation with public funds.

Cross-Border Leasing (CBL) is where the lessor and lessee have their seats in different countries, in a narrower sense CBL primarily describes leasing business where different laws and regulation are applicable in the different countries, which are used to the advantage of the business partners to primarily save or avoid taxes.

Particularly well known is CBA with the USA, where fiscal regulations allow long-term rentals to be treated as property. The contracts are concluded in New York, as in this State the contracts remain valid even when it turns out later that they infringe prevailing US law, which is increasingly often the case, as CBL practices have in the meantime also been outlawed in the USA.

After the closing words from Dr. Andreas Khol, and answering a string of open questions, the conference was closed by Dr. Worms, who thanked everyone, not least the Austrian organisers and interpreter, for the profound event.

 Hermann Berié

Closing Remarks by the Editor

Senior citizen's turnout in Austria at the European Elections on the 7th of June was much higher than five years ago. The over sixties were this time the largest group amongst the voters and the smallest group of non-voters. They ensured the election winning 42 percent vote for Austrian Peoples Party.

The Austrian Senior Citizens’ Union (ÖSB) (305,000 members in nine provincial associations) does not however assume that Heinz K. Becker has won a mandate for the European Parliament. Counting of the postal votes is as yet (9th of June) incomplete.

Becker visited nearly 100 events, travelled 19,000 km across the country, and had personal contact with 17,000 citizens.