While 2024 is just getting underway, this new year heralds some key milestones that we hope will bring a brighter future for all generations. At least, that’s what we at AGE will continue to work towards.
This new year appears to be a period of transition at EU level with the elections lying ahead. It will also offer some further opportunities waiting to be seized to shape the policy agenda for a more social, democratic and inclusive EU.
Strengthening EU democratic and social processes
The forthcoming European Parliament (EP) elections in June will be a major landmark for our work, as they will shape the EU’s political landscape for the years to come. As part of our campaign kicked off last December, we will strengthen alliances and keep on mobilising in favour of a European Strategy on Age Equality using our EP Elections Manifesto as an advocacy tool setting out the foundations for an EU for all ages. At national level, with the support of our members, we will work to influence the priorities of candidate and elected MEPs.
To this purpose, in 2024 AGE will again make available a total envelop of 180.000EUR to engage the elected MEPs with our campaign for age equality (read more in our article). This is possible thanks to the regranting scheme, an EU-funded financial support that allows AGE to finance successful applicants, among AGE full members, to design and implement initiatives at grassroot level towards an age-friendly European Parliament.
After the elections of the European Parliament, we will continue our advocacy work to influence the priorities of the new European Commission to be appointed in the autumn. We will keep on advocating for the creation of a specific service within the European Commission that would work on age equality and ensure consistency across all EU policies and services. At the same time, we will step up our effort to re-establish an intergroup on ageing and intergenerational solidarity within the newly elected European Parliament. Such an Intergroup fosters informal exchanges of views on ageing and age equality between MEPs of different political groups and facilitates contacts with civil society.
On the level of the Council of EU, we will make policy recommendations to the current and upcoming Council Presidencies (Belgium and Hungary). In the frame of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which has taken up its duties in January, we are working with our Belgian members to support the Presidency’s pledge to “equip the EU with an ambitious social agenda to foster a European society that is more inclusive, gender-equal and fair for all”, building on the European Pillar of Social Rights. In particular, we will follow up the commitment made by the Belgian Presidency to strength the social dimension of the European semester, the annual EU process aimed to coordinate policies in EU countries. We will also contribute to the discussions around the gender pension gap, namely as a speaker at an event organised by the Belgian Presidency.
We cannot here address the issue of democratic processes without mentioning the essential, and yet more and more challenged, independence of civil society in guaranteeing democratic values. This is why, we will support the work of our partners within the Social Platform and the European and Economic Social Committee (EESC) Liaison Group with Civil Society Organisations, to maintain and expand the space for independent civil society in the EU.
Strengthening the framework for equality in older age
Our Annual Conference on 12 June 2024 will build on the momentum of the European elections and will discuss our proposal of an EU Age Equality Strategy and what it will mean for older people. The event will further fuel the discussions on how to better promote the rights of older people at EU level, paving the way for the work programme of the new European Commission. We will draw on evidence from existing EU and international instruments framing the rights of other groups of population facing discrimination and further argue on the need for adequate framework to protect older people’s rights and fight ageism.
At international level, we will, this year again, contribute to the ongoing discussions at the United Nations in the frame of the UN Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing. The 14th session will address the topics of participation and accessibility, infrastructure, transport and habitat and pursue its work to develop normative content for a new UN convention on the rights of older persons.
On the issue of multiple discrimination in older age, we will continue to bring to the fore the diverse experiences of older people, including older women and persons with disabilities. On gender, we will feed into the discussions around the renewal of the EU Gender Equality Strategy post-2025, securing a life course perspective. We will also contribute to EU initiatives on gender-based violence for example through the Marvow 2.0 project and the ratification of the Istanbul convention with a focus on gender-based violence against older women and elder abuse.
Strengthening solidarity between generations
As part of the MEET project, we have been joining forces with the European Youth Forum on a common intergenerational declaration, advocating for the importance of intergenerational dialogue, understanding and connection at all levels in society. These connections allow a better understanding of current issues while ensuring better decisions for the future. Younger and older people specifically call on the next European Parliament to recognise the complementary contributions that younger and older people make to society, and to protect, respect, and fulfil the rights of all people living in the EU. This declaration will be issued at a joint event ahead of the EU Day of Solidarity between generations celebrated on 29th April.
On the occasion of the EU Day, we will also encourage and collect initiatives and good practices from AGE members and partners that promote greater solidarity and cooperation between generations.
Strengthening older people’involvement in EU projects on ageing
Building on over 15 European projects, 2024 will see AGE and its members engaged in exchanges and events.
Aimed for raising awareness on ageism in health, employment and in the social life, the online game developed by the Smart Against Ageism will be tested and released.
The Age-Friendly Toolkit project will release its trainings for a new professional figure on age-friendly environments. The Mentoring Across Borders project invites AGE members to mentor younger people in European countries on employment. EU Navigate will engage AGE members in user fora on patient navigation for older people with cancer and their families. As part of the ValueCare project, we will invite AGE members to discuss policy recommendations regarding innovative models of delivery of care.
Policy recommendations will also be published on the issues of ageism (for Smart Against Ageism), resilience (for Futures), the use of technologies for active ageing (for Pharaon). These recommendations will support and feed into AGE’s advocacy work.
In terms of public events, several projects will conclude in 2024 and celebrate their achievements at their final conferences: e-VITA in March in Evry, France; Pharaon – Pilots for healthy and active ageing in June in Florence, Italy; Smart Against Ageism in June in Brussels, Belgium; Valuecare in September in Rotterdam, the Netherlands; SEE U in October in Brussels, Belgium and Mentoring Across borders in November both in Brussels, Belgium.
In short, it will be a busy year in which we will remain focused on our objective of contributing to a shared vision of a society for all ages.
It’s a tough road ahead, but it holds the promise of a beautiful destination.
We wish you a happy, healthy and peaceful new year!
