Following an external evaluation of European Year 2012 for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations and the report on the implementation, results and overall assessment of that European Year released by the European Commission on 15 
September 2014, the European Parliament’s Directorate-General for Parliamentary Research Services has published a European Implementation Assessment of the EU Year 2012.
This paper looks at the context and concrete initiatives that were undertaken before, during, and after 2012, and also considers the Parliament’s input into the Decision establishing the European Year. It comes to the conclusion that the four specific objectives set by the Decision establishing EY2012 were largely met, while the general objective of creating an ‘active ageing culture in Europe’ might still require further, additional efforts.
Indeed, the specific objectives of EY2012 of promoting existing initiatives, raising political awareness, and creating concrete instruments in favour of active ageing and solidarity between generations were achieved with regard to the amount of allocated resources. However, the report recommends focusing less on continuity with previous similar initiatives, and more on ensuring legacy, namely by continuing to support the new or enhanced activities and processes related to active ageing and solidarity between generations.
