The Commission presents a report on the final evaluation of the Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme (AAL JP).

The Commission reinforced the Union’s commitment to make use of ICT for active and healthy ageing in its Communication ‘A Digital Agenda for Europe’ (2010). The Union’s participation in the AAL JP is a cornerstone of that commitment.

The AAL JP was set up in 2008 by 20 EU Member States and three associated countries and focuses on applied research and innovation of ICT-based products and services for an ageing population, with a two-to-three year time-to-market.

An independent high-level expert panel chaired by former European Commissioner for Research Philippe Busquin, assessed the results achieved and progress made towards the AAL JP objectives, and issued strategic and operational follow-up recommendations addressed to the Commission and the Member States.

This report analyses the key recommendations of the panel and proposes action to be taken by the Commission with other EU institutions and stakeholders, and through its role in the AAL JP.

Evaluation results : the final evaluation report confirms the high added value and major achievements of the AAL JP . In particular, the panel concludes that:

· the growing importance of demographic ageing clearly justifies the existence of the AAL JP;

· the AAL JP operates as a coherent framework delivering clear added value for Europe;

· associated research, development and innovation activity is reaching critical mass;

· activities aimed at improving conditions for industrial exploitation have expanded significantly since the interim evaluation;

· the programme is well managed and has well-functioning governance arrangements; and

· progress under the programme is encouraging, although large-scale social and economic impacts have yet to emerge.

Important achievements and early results considered to be promising indicators of high overall impact, include:

· good participation by SMEs (over 40 %);

· estimated own investment of over EUR 325 million from industry participants (predominantly SMEs), leveraged by joint investment of EUR 150 million from the EU and EUR 220 million from participating countries;

· the launch of some 130 projects so far, with good end-user involvement;

· the fact that nearly 50 % of the projects under the first two calls have already secured intellectual property rights in respect of their results; 25 % have secured financing to market new ICT products and services, e.g. alarm systems, remote monitoring, robotic systems, communication tools and game-based training for the elderly;

· the creation of a new innovation ‘ecosystem’, highlighted by the five AAL forums which have been organised on annual basis since 2009, with attendance growing from 500 to 1 200, in parallel with growing numbers of exhibitors, commercial sponsors and active media partners.

The Commission's response to the recommendations : the Commission welcomes the final evaluation report, which documents the positive impact of joining EU and participating states’ forces. All Member States should consider participating in AAL2 which would enhance European integration in this field even further.

The Commission approves of the recommendations to Member States aiming to:

· further improve the AAL JP’s operational performance and review procedures and governance roles to identify possible bottlenecks and areas for streamlining and improvement. In this connection, the Commission has already requested in its proposal for the AAL JP that participating states should establish common binding time-to-contract and time-to-payment targets;

· gear future calls for proposals to socio-economic challenges , deploy more agile instruments and collaborative projects reflecting future market dynamics and developments in the area covered by the programme. The Commission has already considered the option of using additional instruments such as prizes and innovation grants to enable rapid intervention where appropriate;

· ensure that the programme is further oriented to exploitation and that stronger metrics and systematic follow-up be applied to give a clearer view of project impact to guide future implementation;

· improve the quality of participation (by users and demand-side actors such as service providers and insurance companies) in the follow-up programme to ensure that it is spread over a broader geographical area and maintained throughout the project lifecycle.

· enhance communication and community-building activities that are such a key asset of the programme.

The Commission welcomes the recommendation addressed to it , this being to help strengthen further the coherence and synergies between research, innovation and uptake activities relating to ICT for active and healthy ageing. It has taken certain measures in this respect:

· u nder Horizon 2020, the AAL JP will address market-oriented research and innovation and aim to translate upstream research results into ICT-based products and services emerging on the market in response to users’ needs ;

· the Programme will be complemented by the More Years, Better Lives joint programming initiative , which will focus on new multi-disciplinary research on demographic change in response to policy needs ;

· the Commission will ensure complementarity with the European Institute of Technology’s planned knowledge and innovation community on healthy ageing ;

· lastly, the EIP-AHA has established key priorities for innovation and will address a number of the obstacles to bringing innovative solutions for active and healthy ageing to the market faster and on the right scale. Strong synergies will be created with the widening of the scope of AAL JP in line with that of the EIP-AHA.

The European Parliament and Council are invited to give their opinion on the report’s analysis and recommendations, and to support the implementation of the proposed action.

EUR-Lex
COM(2013)0898

This report recalls that the 2008 Decision on the financial participation by the Community in the Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme (AAL JP) required an interim evaluation by 2010, which has been carried out by an independent High-Level Expert Panel chaired by former European Commissioner Meglena Kuneva. The Panel elaborated advice on innovation and demographic ageing in general and provided specific recommendations on the AAL JP. This Communication analyses the key recommendations of the Panel and proposes, where relevant, actions for the European Commission to be pursued in cooperation with other EU institutions and stakeholders, and through the Commission's role in the AAL JP.

Panel observations and recommendations as regards innovation and demographic ageing : the Panel calls for the rapid creation of a dynamic market for ICT and ageing, able to deliver innovative products and services by combining research, market and deployment activities. The Commission supports this recommendation while emphasising, that this requires tackling important barriers which include market fragmentation and lack of economies of scale, lack of funding for innovation and investment to scale up from pilots and uncertainty about payment: Europe has a large diversity of ways to finance health and social care, which combine public sector, private sector and citizen interventions, and which are often not adapted to supporting innovative ICT-based solutions for active ageing or independent living.

Panel recommendations specific to the AAL JP : the overall assessment of the Panel is positive, even if the programme has been operational for two years only and projects have not yet been completed. The Panel considers that the AAL JP can provide highly relevant solutions to the challenge of demographic ageing and at the same time be a successful example of the use of Article 185 TFEU for innovative research cooperation between Member States with EU support. The Panel also acknowledged the responsive financial contribution of the participating countries, which has gone well beyond the legally required minimum (for the first two Calls the participating States raised their financial contribution respectively 30% and 50% above the required minimum), and a strong participation of SMEs of well above 40%.

The Panel, however, also recommends that the AAL JP urgently reinforces its operations. The Commission strongly supports this recommendation and urges participating States to pay close and immediate attention to this recommendation.

Progress towards the objectives of AAL JP : the key objectives of the AAL JP are (i) to enable the emergence of ICT-based products, services and systems for ageing well, (ii) create a sufficient body of research, development and innovation, and (iii) improve conditions for industrial exploitation. The Panel concluded that the AAL JP is contributing positively to the first and second objective, in particular as regards conditions for industry participation (as evidenced by the high participation of SMEs, i.e. 40%). The Panel recommends, however, putting more efforts on enhancing the actual exploitation of results. The actions which the Commission intends to undertake will promote the link between the AAL JP and deployment instruments, notably the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme, providing market and impact evidence and analysis, and exploring new financing instruments for deployment. The Commission also intends to ensure that these actions will contribute to and leverage related work in the announced European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing. The Commission will:

work with the AAL JP to develop and share impact metrics between the programme and the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (2011); launch a market observatory and business models study in ICT for ageing well, which will also address the work on business models of AAL JP projects (2011); together with the European Investment Bank and the AAL JP, mobilise appropriate financing modalities to bridge the investment gap for large scale deployment and uptake, taking the JESSICA investment scheme and ELENA technical assistance facility15 as reference points (2010-2011); propose to the AAL JP to continue supporting the AAL Investment Forum, and to open it up to innovators and innovations from FP7 and CIP ICT PSP (2011 and beyond).

Level of financial contributions by participating countries: t he Panel concluded that the level of national financial contributions is a major success of the AAL JP. The Commission will continue monitoring key financial performance metrics (time-topayment, time-to-contract) in its annual reviews of the AAL JP and follow-up where necessary in particular to ensure timely payments (2010 onwards).

Performance of the AAL JP for the integration of national programmes : the Panel found that differing financial and funding eligibility rules across participating countries complicate the formation of international consortia and the effective participation of all relevant stakeholders. The Commission will work with the AAL JP Participating States to analyse funding approaches, with a view to exchange of practices and as input for the longer-term future of the AAL JP (2011).

Operational performance of the AAL JP : the Commission agrees with the Panel that the exchange of experience and creation of synergies with related Article 185 programmes, like Eurostars, EMPR and Bonus-169 can be instrumental in improving the management and operations of the AAL JP. The Commission will facilitate the exchange of Article 185 practices in the implementation of related programmes through exchange of operational experience and possible further cooperation.

European added value of the AAL JP : the Panel found that the AAL JP is already delivering a clear European added value in the balance between European efforts and national needs and inputs, and in the development of good practices. The current European efforts in addressing and removing barriers to the deployment of AAL solutions should, however, be strengthened as part of a joint effort with all stakeholders. The Commission intends to explore the continuation of the AAL JP beyond FP7, taking into consideration the reaction of the Council and European Parliament to the AAL JP evaluation results and recommendations. The Commission will:

take into account the contributions to the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing that can be made by the AAL JP (2010-2012); perform an impact assessment on options for the continuation of the AAL JP beyond FP7, without prejudice to the preparation of FP8 and the EU Financial Perspectives and taking into account the evolution of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (2012); support technology road-mapping and consultation and provide guidance to more closely link FP7, AAL JP and CIP in ICT for ageing well (2011); address the potential for synergies between the AAL JP and the Joint Programming Initiative on "More Years, Better Lives" in a JPI Recommendation (2011); propose to the AAL JP to submit the AAL Conference as a contribution to the 2012 Year of Active Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity, for enhanced visibility and reinforcement of commitment across a wide range of actors (2012); assess the adequacy of the "Action Plan on Information and Communication Technologies and Ageing", as part of the Digital Agenda (2012).

The Commission invites the European Parliament and the Council to provide their opinion on the report and its analysis and recommendations and to support the implementation of proposed actions.

COM(2010)0763
EUR-Lex

PURPOSE: to enable EC financial contribution to the AAL Joint Programme.

LEGISLATIVE ACT : Decision No 742/2008/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Community’s participation in a research and development programme undertaken by several Member States aimed at enhancing the quality of life of older people through the use of new information and communication technologies

CONTENT: this Decision provides that, in implementing the Seventh Framework Programme, the Community shall make a financial contribution to the ambient assisted living joint research and development programme (the AAL Joint Programme) undertaken jointly by Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom (the participating Member States) as well as Israel, Norway and Switzerland.

The Community will pay a financial contribution amounting to a maximum of EUR 150 million for the duration of the Seventh Framework Programme for the implementation of the AAL Joint Programme, in accordance with the principles set out in Annex I, which forms an integral part of the Decision. Further financing options may be available, inter alia, from the European Investment Bank (EIB), in particular through the Risk-Sharing Finance Facility developed jointly by the EIB and the Commission pursuant to Annex III to Decision 2006/971/EC.

The Community financial contribution will be paid from the general budget of the EU allocated to the information and communication technologies (ICT) theme of the Specific Programme "Cooperation".

The programme, " Ambient Assisted Living" (AAL Joint Programme), seeks to enhance and improve the quality of life of older people whilst strengthening the industrial base in Europe through the use of ICT. In addition, it has the following specific aims :

- to foster the emergence of innovative ICT-based products, services and systems for ageing well at home, in the community, and at work, thus increasing the quality of life, autonomy, participation in social life, skills and employability of elderly people, and reducing the costs of health and social care;

- to create a critical mass of research, development and innovation at EU level in technologies and services for ageing well in the information society, including the establishment of a favourable environment for participation by SMEs;

- to improve conditions for industrial exploitation by providing a coherent European framework for developing common approaches and facilitating the localisation and adaptation of common solutions which are compatible with varying social preferences and regulatory aspects at national or regional level across Europe.

The participating Member States have agreed on a dedicated implementation structure to implement the AAL Joint Programme. This dedicated implementation structure will be the recipient of the financial contribution from the Community and ensure the efficient execution of the AAL Joint Programme.

The AAL programme is the first of four initiatives based on article 169 of the EC treaty that are planned during the course of the EC's 7th Research Framework Programme (2007 to 2013). Article 169 regulates the participation of the Community in research programmes jointly undertaken by several EU Member States, including participation in the structures created for the execution of those programmes.

Reports: the annual report on the Seventh Framework Programme must include a report on the activities of the AAL Joint Programme. An interim evaluation will be carried out by the Commission two years after the start of the Programme, but in any case no later than 2010. Further interim evaluations may be carried out. The interim evaluation will cover the progress towards the objectives of the AAL Joint Programme set out in Annex I, including recommendations on the most appropriate ways to further enhance integration, the quality and efficiency of the implementation, including scientific, management and financial integration, of the AAL Joint Programme and whether the level of the financial contributions of the participating Member States, Israel, Norway and Switzerland is appropriate, given the potential demand from their various national research communities. Experience from other joint programmes carried out under Article 169 of the Treaty will also be taken into account. At the end of 2013, the Commission will conduct a final evaluation.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 02/08/2008.

Decision 2008/742
OJ L 201 30.07.2008, p. 0049

03618/2008/LEX

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SP(2008)2060

Results of vote in Parliament

The European Parliament adopted, by 431 votes in favour to 10 against with 8 abstentions, a legislative resolution amending the proposal on the participation by the Community in a research and development programme aimed at enhancing the quality of life of older people through the use of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), undertaken by several Member States.

The report had been tabled for consideration in plenary by Neena GILL (PES, UK) on behalf of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy.

The principal amendments - adopted under the codecision procedure – are the result of an agreement made with Council and are as follows:

-the AAL Joint Programme is undertaken jointly by Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland , Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom as well as Israel, Norway and Switzerland;

-one of the conditions of Community financial contribution is ensuring a high level of scientific excellence and observance of ethical principles in accordance with the general principles of the Seventh Framework Programme, of gender mainstreaming and gender equality and of sustainable development;

-the granting of financial support shall be subject to the principles of equal treatment and transparency, predictability for applicants and independent evaluation. The financial support to third parties shall be granted on the basis of scientific excellence, socio-economic impact at European level and relevance to the overall objectives of the programme;

-if the AAL Joint Programme is not implemented or is implemented inadequately, partially or late, the Community shall reduce, withhold or terminate its financial contribution in line with the actual implementation of the AAL Joint Programme. If the participating Member States, Israel, Norway and Switzerland do not contribute or contribute only partially or late to the financing of the AAL Joint Programme, the Community may reduce its financial contribution in line with the actual amount of public funding allocated by the participating Member States, Israel, Norway and Switzerland on the terms laid down in the agreement to be concluded between the Commission and the dedicated implementation structure;

-an interim evaluation will be carried out by the Commission two years after the start of the Programme, but in any case no later than 2010. If deemed necessary after the first interim review, further interim evaluations may be undertaken. Such evaluation shall cover progress towards the objectives set out in Annex I of the AAL Joint Programme, including recommendations on the most appropriate ways to further enhance integration, the quality and efficiency of the implementation, including scientific, management and financial integration, as well as the appropriate level of financial contribution of Participants in view of potential demand from the various national research communities. Experience from other joint programmes carried out under Article 169 of the Treaty shall also be taken into account.

Parliament also made several amendments to the Annex :

Specific aims : the results of the AAL Joint programme could also be used by other groups of people, namely people with disabilities. Through its activities, the AAL Joint Programme shall contribute to the achievement of the renewed Lisbon Strategy objectives and the knowledge based society, “while avoiding that the use of new technologies will lead to exclusion”. In this context, the development of cost effective solutions that can help to ensure equitable and simplified access to relevant ICT-based products and services, shall be promoted, including access to services through a choice of different channels that respect the privacy and dignity of the elderly across all regions of Europe, including rural and peripheral areas. Moreover, the AAL Joint programme should promote innovation and co-financing by the private sector, in particular SMEs, for market related projects and the adaptation of technology and solutions to be developed by projects to the needs of the elderly in view of their increased social participation. Wherever possible, complementarity and synergies between the AAL Joint Programme and other programmes at Community, national and regional level shall be ensured.

Activities: the main activity in the AAL Joint Programme consists of research, development and innovation activities. In addition, brokerage, programme promotion and networking activities may be implemented through dedicated events or in combination with existing events. The AAL Joint Programme should also take into account demographic trends and demographic research in the different European countries in order to provide solutions that reflect the social and economic situation across Member States.

Call for proposals : after the closure of a call for proposals, a central eligibility check shall be carried out by the dedicated implementation structure in cooperation with the national programme management agencies. The check shall be done on the basis of the common programme eligibility criteria of the AAL Joint Programme published with the annual work programme. Common eligibility criteria shall include at least the following: timely, complete and electronic submission of proposal, and obligations concerning the composition of consortia. In addition, the dedicated implementation structure with the assistance of the national programme management agencies shall make a check against national eligibility criteria that are published with the annual work programme. These national eligibility criteria, mentioned in the respective calls, shall only relate to the legal and financial status of individual participants and not to the content of the proposal. The text sets out these eligibility criteria categories concerning individual participants. National eligibility criteria strictly related to the legal and financial status of individual participants as well as the national administrative principles shall be applied. Where, at the contracting stage, a participant fails to meet one of the national eligibility criteria, the AAL Joint Programme shall safeguard scientific excellence. For this purpose an additional central independent evaluation of the proposal concerned may be carried out with the assistance of independent experts, at the decision of the Executive Board, in order to evaluate the proposal without the participation of the participant in question or, if suggested by the project consortium, with a replacement participant

Funding: a maximum of 6% of the Community financial contribution shall be used to contribute to the overall operational costs of the AAL Joint Programme. The participating Member States, Israel, Norway and Switzerland shall also contribute to ensure the effective operation of the AAL Joint Programme.

Lastly, the AAL Executive Board will consist at least of a President, a vice-President and a treasurer.

T6-0098/2008

Debate in Parliament

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A6-0027/2008

The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy adopted the report by Neena GILL (PES, UK) amending, under the 1st reading of the codecision procedure, the proposal for a decision on the participation by the Community in a research and development programme aimed at enhancing the quality of life of older people through the use of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), undertaken by several Member States.

The main amendments were as follows:

-the committee emphasised the implications of the gender dimension throughout the text, and stipulated the establishment of an appropriate, efficient and gender sensitive governance model for the AAL Joint Programme. It stated that improving digital literacy, especially for women, is a precondition for inclusion and participation in the information society. Furthermore, the role of women in science and research should be actively promoted;

-on the question of funding , Members felt that participation should be subject to a minimum financial contribution commensurate with the potential demand from the various national research communities. Since the AAL Joint Programme is to make a substantial contribution to the development of the European Research Area, the overall value of contributions from the participating Member States, Israel, Norway and Switzerland should be above EUR 150 million for the duration of the Seventh Framework Programme. National contributions should be in a sum greater than 20% of total national research funding for AAL related activities;

- if the AAL Joint Programme is not implemented or is implemented inadequately, partially or late, the Community shall reduce or terminate its financial contribution in line with the actual implementation of the AAL Joint Programme. If the participating Member States, Israel, Norway and Switzerland do not contribute or contribute only partially or late to the financing of the AAL Joint Programme, the Community may reduce its financial contribution in line with the actual amount of public funding allocated by the participating Member States, Israel, Norway and Switzerland on the terms laid down in the agreement to be concluded between the Commission and the dedicated implementation structure;

-the results of the AAL Joint programme could also be used by other groups of people, namely people with disabilities ;

- the Commission should conduct an interim evaluation by 2010, assessing the quality and efficiency of the implementation of the AAL Joint Programme and progress towards the objectives set. In that evaluation it should also assess the need for further interim evaluations before the final evaluation at the end of 2013.

The cCommittee also made several amendments to the Annex :

-through its activities, the AAL Joint Programme must contribute to the achievement of the Lisbon Strategy objectives and to creating the knowledge based society, while trying to ensure that the use of new technology does not lead to social exclusion. In this context, the development of cost effective solutions that can help to ensure fair and simplified access across all regions of the Union, including rural and peripheral areas, to relevant ICT-based products and services is to be promoted ;

-wherever possible, activities carried out under the AAL Programme should ensure synergies with relevant regional developments, for example developments concerning smart housing or other infrastructures required for testing ICT solutions resulting from projects ;

- the AAL Joint Programme shall take into account demographic trends in the Member States in order to provide solutions that reflect the social and economic situation across the Union ;

-when selecting research topics for inclusion in the annual work programme certain prescribed criteria should be taken into account. These include: complementarity with relevant national and Community programmes and non-duplication; innovation and co-financing by the private sector, in particular SMEs, with the aim of supporting market-ready or near market-ready products or services; the development of technology adapted to the needs of the elderly, for example in their home environment ("smart homes") and or in their work environment; whether services to be developed respect the privacy and dignity of the elderly; whether technology or services that provide support for independent living also contribute to increased social participation on the part of the elderly ;

-Parliament added common eligibility criteria with which applicants must comply ;

-a single, common and central evaluation shall be carried out by independent experts appointed by the Commission. The independent experts shall report to the Commission on the evaluation and selection processes;

-lastly, a maximum 6% of the Community financial contribution shall be used to contribute to the overall operating costs of the AAL Joint Programme.

PE396.709

In public deliberation, the Council had an exchange of views and agreed on a general approach concerning a draft decision on the participation by the Community in a research and development programme aimed at enhancing the quality of life of older people through the use of new information and communication technologies (ICT), undertaken by several EU Member States ("Ambient Assisted Living" Programme).

The general approach is aimed at facilitating a first-reading agreement in codecision with the Parliament early in 2008.

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PE396.770

PE396.494

The Council held an exchange of views on a draft decision on the participation by the Community in a research and development programme aimed at enhancing the quality of life of older people through the use of new information and communication technologies (ICT), undertaken by several EU member states ("Ambient Assisted Living" programme).

During a public session, delegations gave their positive assessment on the proposal, providing political guidance for further work on a number of issues such as: the selection criteria and funding of projects under the programme, and rules of admission for new members.

The overall objective of the AAL joint programme is to enhance the quality of life of older people and strengthen the industrial base in Europe through the use of ICT. The AAL joint programme has the following specific aims:

foster the emergence of innovative ICT-based products, services and systems for ageing well at home, in the community, and at work, thus increasing the quality of life, autonomy, participation in social life, skills and employability of elderly people, and reducing the costs of services for ageing well in the information society, including the establishment of a favourable environment for participation by SMEs; improve conditions for industrial exploitation by providing a coherent European framework for developing common approaches and facilitating the localisation and adaptation of common solutions that are compatible with varying social preferences and regulatory aspects at national or regional level across Europe.

The AAL joint programme provides the legal and organisational framework for a large-scale European programme between Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Spain and Israel, Norway and Switzerland on applied research and innovation in the area of ICT for ageing well in the information society. They have agreed to coordinate and implement jointly activities aimed at contributing to the AAL joint programme.

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PURPOSE: to adopt a decision, based on Article 169 of the EC Treaty, concerning the participation of the Community in a research and development programme aimed at enhancing the quality of life of older people through the use of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), undertaken by several Member States.

PROPOSED ACT: Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council.

BACKGROUND: ICT can play an important role in the lives of older people by helping them to improve their quality of life, stay healthier and live independently for longer. Innovative solutions are emerging to help counteract impairments which are more prevalent with age. ICT enables older persons to remain active at work or in their community. However, the majority of these older individuals are not yet able to benefit from ICT.

"i2010 - A European Information Society for growth and employment", launched a flagship initiative on caring for people in an ageing society. A corresponding action plan for ageing well in the Information Society was also adopted. The 2006 Riga e-Inclusion Ministerial Declaration set the scene for a comprehensive policy on e-Inclusion, and recommended launching a joint research initiative in the area of ICT and ageing.

CONTENT: the Ambient Assisted Living research and development programme (AAL joint programme) provides the legal and organisational framework for a large-scale European programme between Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Spain and Israel, Norway and Switzerland on applied research and innovation in the area of ICT for Ageing Well in the Information Society. They have agreed to coordinate and implement jointly activities aimed at contributing to the AAL joint programme. The overall value of their participation is estimated at a minimum of €150 million during the period 2008-2013.

In order to increase the impact and critical mass of the AAL joint programme, the Community should participate therein by making a financial contribution of up to €150 million, subject to efficient implementation and financial commitments by Member States in line with the criteria set out in the co-decision.

A mid-term and final review will be carried out by independent experts to assess the effectiveness and overall impact of the Community contribution to the initiative. The Commission and the Court of Auditors may carry out all the checks and inspections needed to ensure proper management of the Community funds and protect the financial interests of the Community against any fraud or irregularity.

The overall objective of the AAL joint programme is to enhance the quality of life of older people and strengthen the industrial base in Europe through the use of Information and Communication Technologies

The AAL Joint Programme has the following specific aims:

- foster the emergence of innovative ICT-based products, services and systems for ageing well at home, in the community, and at work, thus increasing the quality of life, autonomy, participation in social life, skills and employability of older people and reducing the costs of health and social care. This may be based e.g. on innovative utilisation of ICT technology, new ways of customer interaction or new types of value chains for independent living services;

- create critical mass of research, development and innovation at EU level in the areas of technologies and services for ageing well in the information society, including the establishment of a favourable environment for participation by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs);

- improve conditions for industrial exploitation of research results by providing a coherent European framework for developing common approaches and facilitating the localisation and adaptation of common solutions which are compatible with varying social preferences and regulatory aspects at national or regional level across Europe.

By focusing on applied research, the AAL Joint Programme will complement related longer term research activities envisaged under the Seventh Framework Programme, as well as the demonstration activities forming part of the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (2007 to 2013) established by Decision No 1639/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 2006, which focuses on large-scale uptake of existing solutions. Due account shall be taken of possible ethical and privacy issues in line with international guidelines.

There are two types of activities in the AAL Joint Programme:

1) Research, development and innovation activities implemented via shared-cost transnational projects involving partners from at least three different participating Member States or other participating countries addressing research, technological development, demonstration and dissemination activities. These should be targeted at market-oriented research, should be of short to medium-term duration and should demonstrate the capability to exploit the project results within a realistic time frame.

2) Brokerage, programme promotion and networking activities, which may be implemented through dedicated events or in combination with existing events. These shall include the organisation of workshops and the establishment of contacts with other stakeholders in the value chain.

The AAL Joint Programme shall entail consultation with relevant European stakeholders (such as decision-makers from ministries and public sector authorities, private-sector service and insurance providers as well as industry, SMEs and user representatives) concerning the research priorities to be addressed and the implementation of the programme.

COM(2007)0329
EUR-Lex

PURPOSE: to present an Action Plan on ICT and ageing: “Ageing well in the Information Society”.

CONTENT: the Commission has decided to launch an action plan on ageing well in the information society, as announced in the i2010 initiative. Its purpose is two-fold. Firstly to enable a better quality of life for older people and secondly, to create a strong European ICT industry in the field of ageing.

Europe ’s population is ageing. Average life expectancy has increased from 55 in 1920 to over 80 today. Between 2010 and 2030, the number of people aged 65 to 80 will rise by nearly 40%. The demographic change poses significant challenges to Europe’s society and economy. ICT can play an important role in dealing with these challenges. For example, it enables the efficient delivery of health and social care, as well as increasing opportunities for community and self-care innovation.

For the purposes outlined above, the Commission has decided to launch this Action Plan. It is being accompanied by a new research programme on “Ageing well in the Information Society”, under Article 169 of the EU Treaty. The Action Plan focuses on three main target groups: citizens, companies and public authorities.

For citizens it seeks to offer a better quality of life and better health provision through prolonged independent living, active ageing at work and increased social participation. For companies, it seeks to offer increased market size and market opportunities in the internal market as well as a better skilled and productive workforce and to offer them a stronger position in the global market. For authorities the action plan will to seek to lower the cost of caring for the elderly, offer increased efficiencies and offer a better overall quality of health and social care. To realise these ambitions, the Action Plan will be centred around four main areas of activity namely:

Raising awareness: In the course of 2007 the Commission will seek to bring business and civil organisation together in order to establish an innovation platform for ageing well in the information society. The purpose of this platform will be to develop common roadmaps and to showcase common paths across the delivery chain.

Putting enabling conditions in place: In the course of 2007 and 2008, the Commission will assess what market barriers currently exist that hinder the uptake of technologies relating to the elderly. Under consideration will be the radio frequency identification systems for independent living (RFID). The Commission will also facilitate Member States’ efforts to meet their Riga objectives in terms of providing guidance. Further, in line with the e-Health Action Plan the Commission will issue a recommendation on e-Health interoperability in 2007 that addresses core e-Health infrastructure data – such as patient information, emergency data etc. The Member States, businesses, user organisations and public authorities are asked to promote basic access through broadband to ICT services for ageing and to increase the uptake of digital technologies amongst the elderly.

Promoting take-up: The Commission intends to launch a set of ICT pilot project as part of the “Competitiveness and Innovation Programme” (CIP). It will also encourage benchmarking as well as exploring ICT innovations relating to active ageing at work. A European award for smart homes and independent living applications will be established. Professional associations, industry, academia and user organisations will all be encouraged to establish training programmes and accessible websites.

Preparing for the future: The Commission has already stepped up ICT research for ageing in the e-Health and e-Inclusion initiatives set out in the 7 th Framework Programme on Information Society Technologies. Focus is given to mainstreaming technologies for the elderly. In addition, the Commission is proposing a new research initiative “Ageing well in the Information Society”. The purpose of this initiative is to stimulate market oriented research on applications for independent living.

Conclusion: The Commission calls upon all interested parties (civil society, public authorities, the private sector) to act in partnership in order to achieve the objective for ageing well in the information society. The Member States are invited to actively support and implement the actions. The European Parliament is invited to support the rights and opportunities of older people in the information society. The ultimate objective being the full participation of all in Europe’s economy and society.

COM(2007)0332
EUR-Lex

This Commission staff working document supports the Communication on Information and Communication Technologies and Ageing (“Ageing Well in the Information Society in Europe”), which presents a response to the Riga e-Inclusion Ministerial Declaration and the Communication on the Demographic Future of Europe (see INI/2007/2156 ).

The paper analyses the individual, larger-scale economic and social aspects, and the business dimensions of ICT and ageing and suggests a range of policy responses in the form of an action plan to overcome regulatory, technical, skills and other barriers and to fully exploit the opportunities in ICT and ageing in Europe.

These actions are suggestions for the i2010 flagship initiative "on caring for people in an ageing society addressing technologies for wellbeing, independent living and health", announced in i2010, or for short "the i2010 initiative for ageing well in the information society", and as the first major contribution to the 2008 EU e-Inclusion Initiative. Actions are suggested in 4 inter-related areas:

Raising awareness and building common strategies, including cooperation in a partnership for innovation with stakeholders, awareness raising events, benchmarking exercises and Ministerial level exchanges under forthcoming Presidencies; Putting enabling conditions in place including the assessment of regulatory options to overcome fragmentation in reimbursement of ICT solutions for ageing; interoperability in eHealth; and raising skills in age-friendly design and accessibility of ICT; Promoting widespread take-up by good practice exchange and demonstration trials of independent living in smart homes, telecare for chronic diseases through the Competitiveness and Innovation programme, pilot projects by regions a.o. using Structural Funds for, and innovative public procurement contributing to user acceptance, interoperability, viable business models and sustainable large-scale implementation; Preparing for the future by significantly stepping up joint research and widely disseminating research results, including the launch of the new 7 th Framework Programme Article 169 Assisted Living Initiative and strengthened involvement of European Technology Platforms.

This paper collects evidence on the emerging needs from the European ageing population in the Information Society, the potential benefits deriving from the growing senior market, the challenges and opportunities to be assessed and captured for all stakeholders involved and specifically for the final users.

Many of the issues raised in the paper also touch upon the more general debate at the EU level on long-term economic aspects linked to demographic change. However, the paper concentrates on what ICT and the Information Society can best achieve to make the ageing society better adapt to a changing a demographic and economic environment.

Three main areas of possible action have been identified as the key domains where ICT can contribute to a factual improvement in the living conditions of the ageing society while encouraging the necessary societal and economic adaptation to the ongoing demographic change. The suggested actions refer to:

· the opportunities to reduce forms of exclusion for elderly persons in the Information Society;

· the ways in which ICT can help to pursue active working patterns combined with optimal work-life balance;

· the support from ICT in providing elderly persons with autonomous and independent lives while enhancing the provision of health and social care.

The paper also supports the need to address ethical issues and strengthen stakeholder involvement (Europe's citizens in the ageing society, public authorities at all levels, providers of general public services, social care, life-long learning or health-care, financial and insurance service providers -whether private or public-, the ICT industry, the construction and housing industry, the transport and automotive industry).

Lastly, the paper provides grounds for the launch of the i2010 flagship initiative on ICT and ageing as a combined set of awareness and consensus building actions, updating of regulatory frameworks and other enabling conditions, uptake measures and . Research actions.

SEC(2007)0811
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PURPOSE: to adopt a decision, based on Article 169 of the EC Treaty, concerning the participation of the Community in a research and development programme aimed at enhancing the quality of life of older people through the use of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), undertaken by several Member States.

PROPOSED ACT: Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council.

BACKGROUND: ICT can play an important role in the lives of older people by helping them to improve their quality of life, stay healthier and live independently for longer. Innovative solutions are emerging to help counteract impairments which are more prevalent with age. ICT enables older persons to remain active at work or in their community. However, the majority of these older individuals are not yet able to benefit from ICT.

"i2010 - A European Information Society for growth and employment", launched a flagship initiative on caring for people in an ageing society. A corresponding action plan for ageing well in the Information Society was also adopted. The 2006 Riga e-Inclusion Ministerial Declaration set the scene for a comprehensive policy on e-Inclusion, and recommended launching a joint research initiative in the area of ICT and ageing.

CONTENT: the Ambient Assisted Living research and development programme (AAL joint programme) provides the legal and organisational framework for a large-scale European programme between Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Spain and Israel, Norway and Switzerland on applied research and innovation in the area of ICT for Ageing Well in the Information Society. They have agreed to coordinate and implement jointly activities aimed at contributing to the AAL joint programme. The overall value of their participation is estimated at a minimum of €150 million during the period 2008-2013.

In order to increase the impact and critical mass of the AAL joint programme, the Community should participate therein by making a financial contribution of up to €150 million, subject to efficient implementation and financial commitments by Member States in line with the criteria set out in the co-decision.

A mid-term and final review will be carried out by independent experts to assess the effectiveness and overall impact of the Community contribution to the initiative. The Commission and the Court of Auditors may carry out all the checks and inspections needed to ensure proper management of the Community funds and protect the financial interests of the Community against any fraud or irregularity.

The overall objective of the AAL joint programme is to enhance the quality of life of older people and strengthen the industrial base in Europe through the use of Information and Communication Technologies

The AAL Joint Programme has the following specific aims:

- foster the emergence of innovative ICT-based products, services and systems for ageing well at home, in the community, and at work, thus increasing the quality of life, autonomy, participation in social life, skills and employability of older people and reducing the costs of health and social care. This may be based e.g. on innovative utilisation of ICT technology, new ways of customer interaction or new types of value chains for independent living services;

- create critical mass of research, development and innovation at EU level in the areas of technologies and services for ageing well in the information society, including the establishment of a favourable environment for participation by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs);

- improve conditions for industrial exploitation of research results by providing a coherent European framework for developing common approaches and facilitating the localisation and adaptation of common solutions which are compatible with varying social preferences and regulatory aspects at national or regional level across Europe.

By focusing on applied research, the AAL Joint Programme will complement related longer term research activities envisaged under the Seventh Framework Programme, as well as the demonstration activities forming part of the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (2007 to 2013) established by Decision No 1639/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 October 2006, which focuses on large-scale uptake of existing solutions. Due account shall be taken of possible ethical and privacy issues in line with international guidelines.

There are two types of activities in the AAL Joint Programme:

1) Research, development and innovation activities implemented via shared-cost transnational projects involving partners from at least three different participating Member States or other participating countries addressing research, technological development, demonstration and dissemination activities. These should be targeted at market-oriented research, should be of short to medium-term duration and should demonstrate the capability to exploit the project results within a realistic time frame.

2) Brokerage, programme promotion and networking activities, which may be implemented through dedicated events or in combination with existing events. These shall include the organisation of workshops and the establishment of contacts with other stakeholders in the value chain.

The AAL Joint Programme shall entail consultation with relevant European stakeholders (such as decision-makers from ministries and public sector authorities, private-sector service and insurance providers as well as industry, SMEs and user representatives) concerning the research priorities to be addressed and the implementation of the programme.

COM(2007)0329
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