Brussels. 12 March 2015
A large number of MEPs have today officially launched the Intergroup on Active ageing, Intergenerational solidarity and Family policies. AGE Platform Europe, the EU largest network of organisations of and for older persons, welcomes their initiative and looks forward to a fruitful collaboration on issues related to ageing and intergenerational solidarity.
Two days after the first EU Summit on Active and Healthy Ageing, AGE welcomes the official launch of the Intergroup on Active ageing, Intergenerational solidarity and Family policies. For many years now, AGE has been closely working with the previous Intergroup on ageing and intergenerational solidarity, leading to key progresses on many EU dossiers. We hope to maintain this privileged relationship with the new Intergroup, now merged with the former Family Intergroup, and make further progress to adapt Europe to population ageing.
“The re-establishment of this long-standing Intergroup was a big success for older citizens’ and their organisations”, said Anne-Sophie Parent, AGE Secretary General, adding “AGE Platform Europe agrees with European Commission President Juncker’s acknowledgement that Europe has not done enough yet to address population ageing and we believe the Intergroup will help the European Parliament voice older citizens’ concerns and recommendations in EU policy debates that seek to help Member States address their demographic challenges.”
The Intergroup will work in two groups, one dedicated to active ageing and the other one dedicated to family policies, while the issue of intergenerational solidarity will be mainstreamed in all of the Intergroup’s activities. AGE members therefore look forward to collaborating with the MEPs involved in the subgroup on Active Ageing, notably on President Juncker’s investment plan, the adoption of the long-awaited equal treatment directive, and the shaping of an EU Strategy for Demographic Change.
Lambert van Nistelrooij, Member of the European Parliament for the EPP and coordinator of the subgroup on Active Ageing added: “I have been a member of this Intergroup since 2004. Technology plays an important role in active ageing, for example it can ensure that older persons can stay at home longer. Within the subgroup on Active ageing I will therefore focus on stimulating innovation and technological development in the area of active ageing.”
AGE will monitor and report on the Intergroup’s activities on its blog “Towards an Age-Friendly European Parliament”. We hope that this blog will become a collaborative platform on what the new European Parliament will do to address demographic change and to find fair and sustainable solutions for the future of all generations.
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Useful links
- AGE Blog “Toward an Age-Friendly European Parliament” www.towardsanagefriendlyep.com
- List of Members of the Intergroup Subgroup on Active Ageinghttps://towardsanagefriendlyep.com/2015/03/12/official-launch-of-the-intergroup/
- AGE Manifesto for the European elections 2014: www.age-platform.eu/images/smilies/EP%20Manifesto_FINAL.pdf
- AGE webpage on the Intergroup https://age-platform.eu/age-and-the-eu-institutions/european-parliament/intergroup-on-ageing-and-intergenerational-solidarity
