WUNRN
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT CALLS FOR
EUROPEAN YEAR 2012
ON ACTIVE AGEING
& SOLIDARITY BETWEEN GENERATIONS
26 August 2011
[European Parliament,
The events and measures being
launched in 2012 should raise awareness, stimulate debate and have a real
impact on lifestyles, say MEPs. These points are set out in a draft report on a
Commission proposal for a European Year for Active Ageing (2012) adopted by the
Employment Committee on Wednesday.
The European Year would seek to
foster a sustainable active ageing culture. While strongly backing the basic
idea of such a year, the committee also wants it to embrace the notion of
intergenerational solidarity, by changing the title to European Year for Active
Ageing and Solidarity between Generations.
National, regional and local
authorities as well as social partners, businesses and civil society should
promote "active ageing" and do more to boost the potential of the
rapidly growing population in their late 50s and above, say MEPs. Conferences
and events, information campaigns and exchange of information and best practice
would be among the tools used.
MEPs believe more should be done
to enable elderly people to realise their potential for wellbeing and
participate in society, while providing them with adequate protection, security
and care when they need it. "Active ageing" means better education
and lifelong learning, age-friendly working conditions, and supporting the role
of older people in family life and society as a whole.
The committe would also like the
EU, its
The Employment Committee’s
report, drafted by Martin Kastler (
Europeans today are leading
longer and healthier lives than ever before, but society faces a number of
challenges as a result. Demographic projections by Eurostat indicate a decline
of about 6.8% (20.8 million) in the number of people of working age by 2030.
Two people of working age (15-64) will thus be needed to support one retired
person (over 65), compared to a ratio of four to one today.
This may increase pressure on
public budgets and pension systems, as well as on social and care provision for
older people. In addition, old age is often associated with illness and
dependence, and older people can feel excluded from employment as well as from
family and society.