Does the Lisbon Strategy Matter: the Czech Experience Family policy The EU green paper on“Confronting demographic change: a new solidarity between the generations” is very topical for the Czech Republic, which has one of the lowest birth rates in Europe and a rapidly ageing population 7 . The Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Zdeněk Škromach, welcomed it at the conference “Confronting demographic change: a new solidarity between the generations” (Brussels, 11-12 July 2005), and pointed out that the Czech government sees the family as a legitimate subject of public interest. The contribution of the Czech Republic to this document was elaborated by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Health, submitted to public discussion, and finally approved by the Committee for the EU 8 and passed to the European Commission by the end of 2005. The upper chamber of the Czech Parliament, the Senate, organised a public hearing on the EU green paper on demographic change on 29 June 2005, and passed a resolution on 6 October 2005. Being composed mostly of right-wing political parties, it has condemned the open coordination and all other non-legislative procedures applied by the EU in the member states, and rejected any intervention of the state into the privacy of family life(such as division of household chores). The Green Paper positively influenced the process of preparation and approval of The Conception of Family Policy that was articulated and approved in the Czech Republic as late as in 2005 (Ministerstvo práce a sociální politiky, 2005). Domestic factors were decisive, though: a persistent very low fertility rate(at about 1.2), and ideological orientation of policy makers(Christian and Social Democrats in power as governmental coalition partners). Pension reform After minor changes in old age pension legislation in the early 1990s, there was a significant legislative change in the framework of the compulsory structure of social insurance with the passing of a new law on old-age pensions in 1995. An increase in the statutory retirement age limit was approved to be introduced incrementally up until 2007. The statutory retirement age for women, originally 53-57 was raised to 57-61(the actual limit depends on the number of children), while for men it increased from 60 to 62. The law on base pension insurance 7. The national programme on preparation for ageing for 2003-2007 was approved by the Czech government as soon as 15 May 2002(Ministerstvo práce a sociální politiky, 2002). 8. Výbor pro EU. It is the main coordinating body of the Czech public administration toward the EU. Its Chairman is the Minister of Foreign Affairs. 141