BETA


2014/2255(INI) Report on the implementation, results and overall assessment of the 2012 European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead EMPL KUKAN Eduard (icon: PPE PPE) BLINKEVIČIŪTĖ Vilija (icon: S&D S&D), KRASNODĘBSKI Zdzisław (icon: ECR ECR), VAJGL Ivo (icon: ALDE ALDE), ŽDANOKA Tatjana (icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE), AGEA Laura (icon: EFDD EFDD)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 54

Events

2016/02/24
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2015/09/09
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2015/09/09
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 514 votes to 106, with 69 abstentions, a resolution following the publication of the Report on the implementation, results and overall assessment of the 2012 European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations.

Parliament recalled that the objective of the 2012 European Year (EY 2012) was to raise awareness of the value of active ageing , to stimulate the exchange of information, to promote active ageing policies and to create a framework for concrete action by the Union and its Member States, and by all stakeholders in the public and private sector.

It also recalled that it is expected that by 2050 the average age of people in the EU will be over 50.

Recognising that EY 2012 provided important political momentum which helped to open a discussion of the challenges of active ageing and intergenerational solidarity in Europe, Parliament welcomed the organisation of the year which has succeeded in its goal of mobilising relevant actors around active ageing and intergenerational solidarity and increased the number of initiatives for promoting active ageing in the Member States and strengthened the knowledge and skills of stakeholders involved.

Members considered it regrettable, however, that the objective of establishing new networks for sharing resources, projects and ideas among the public sector, private sector and civil society was rarely achieved. They also regretted the fact that the involvement of social partners was variable and that private businesses were not reached to any significant extent.

Taking part in EY 2012 : Parliament considered it very important that the initiatives launched as part of EY 2012 be followed up and transformed into a strong political commitment followed by concrete action to ensure social inclusion, active participation and the well-being of all generations, while respecting the principle of subsidiarity and proportionality.

It called on the Commission to carry out a study on demographic decline , which is affecting an increasing number of regions in various EU countries, and to draw up a communication on the problem and on the steps that could be taken at European level.

In terms of implementation, Parliament considered regrettable that the relatively late approval of EY 2012 resulted in contracting and implementation delays.

Active ageing : Parliament recalled that active ageing is, inter alia, the process of optimising opportunities for health and for participation in society. It also highlighted the fact that active ageing also means better access to health, long-term care and social services, which have come under pressure in some cases during the crisis. It recommended to all the Member States that, through their social security systems, they promote and strengthen high-quality public infrastructure for the elderly (homes, day centres and home support), where elderly people are seen as active participants.

These measures are necessary to:

develop a European strategy on dementia; propose measures on the unemployment among people over the age of 50; fight against discrimination against older people; stabilise the rules on retirement, taking into account actual unemployment rates among the population above the age of 50 before changing the mandatory pension age as Members believed that linking the retirement age only to life expectancy fails to take account of the importance of labour market trends; ensure sustainability of public pension schemes and to guarantee individual and adequate pension income and rights for all; promote accessible technologies for ageing European societies; promote access to European funding to provide financial assistance to self-help 7 programmes run by organisations for older people, who are sharing their energy, knowledge, experiences and wisdom with each other.

Creating ‘generational mentoring’ : Parliament stressed that consideration should be given in this connection above all to programmes such as ‘generational mentoring’, in which exchanges are encouraged between older experts and the younger generation at work and in training. It considered that incentives for businesses to hire much older workers could be put in place by Member States, and that, as a matter of principle, older workers should not be treated less favourably than younger workers with regard to vocational and continuing training. The importance of adapting workplaces to the needs of older workers was highlighted and more opportunities for older workers to work part time in line with their preferences should be provided.

Data collection to improve the lives of older people : Parliament considered it vital to collect complete and reliable data allowing assessment of the needs of older persons. It recommended to the Member States that they draw up and implement public policies and programmes that will not only improve physical health but also promote mental health and social ties. It considered it essential to support older people in living independently and actively for as long as possible by developing and maintaining people-oriented and demand-driven public support. Members called on the Member States to ensure affordable, accessible and non-discriminatory health care and to prioritise prevention in their health care policies. They called, therefore, on the Commission to implement the Social Investment Package, to keep healthy ageing and the adequacy and quality of long-term care high on the political agenda .

Parliament further urged the Commission to assess the feasibility and added value of a new EU financial instrument to provide a minimum income for all EU citizens below the poverty line.

Integrating older people in society : welcoming the Commission background paper entitled ‘Growing the Silver Economy in Europe’, Parliament stressed that everything should be done so that older people be a fully-fledged part of society and that their participation in daily life, including public life, be supported. These in effect allow for imparting values and experience to others and providing pointers on how to approach community life.

Demographic change : Parliament welcomed the forthcoming EU Covenant on Demographic Change as a major outcome of EY 2012 and of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing. It asked the Commission to identify areas within the EU budget where savings and efficiencies can be made in order to provide funding for the covenant. It also called on the Commission to adopt an EU Strategy on Demographic Change to coordinate EU action in various areas while stressing that demographic change should not be advanced as a justification for the dismantling of social entitlements and services for older people. In parallel, Members believed that a UN Convention to protect the rights of older persons will improve the lives of older persons by guaranteeing them equal access to political, economic, health care and cultural rights, and would represent an important platform to create an attitude shift towards ageing on a global scale.

Parliament regretted that the Commission has not yet addressed age inequalities in the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and the Disability Strategy.

Volunteering by older people : Members stressed the importance of volunteering, which cannot be taken for granted and should therefore have its added social value taken into greater consideration. They supported active ageing and lifelong civic participation which enables older people to display a commitment to society, thereby improving their quality of life, well-being and general state of health. In this context, they regretted the discontinuation of the Grundtvig programme which supported older volunteers and urged the Commission to acknowledge the value of successful EU programmes which combined civic participation with EU-wide group exchanges involving older people.

In conclusion, Parliament underlined that a policy for justice between the generations must aim to create the necessary tools for conducting an open and frank intergenerational dialogue with a view to achieving win-win situations.

Documents
2015/09/09
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2015/09/08
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2015/09/08
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2015/07/23
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary
Details

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs adopted an own-initiative report by Eduard KUKAN (PPE, SK) on the Report on the implementation, results and overall assessment of the 2012 European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations.

Members recalled that the objective of the 2012 European Year (EY 2012) was to raise awareness of the value of active ageing , to stimulate the exchange of information, to promote active ageing policies and to create a framework for concrete action by the Union and its Member States, and by all stakeholders in the public and private sector.

They also recalled that it is expected that by 2050 the average age of people in the EU will be over 50.

Recognising that EY 2012 provided important political momentum which helped to open a discussion of the challenges of active ageing and intergenerational solidarity in Europe, Members welcomed the organisation of the year which has succeeded in its goal of mobilising relevant actors around active ageing and intergenerational solidarity and increased the number of initiatives for promoting active ageing in the Member States and strengthened the knowledge and skills of stakeholders involved.

They considered it regrettable, however, that the objective of establishing new networks for sharing resources, projects and ideas among the public sector, private sector and civil society was rarely achieved. They also regretted the fact that the involvement of social partners was variable and that private businesses were not reached to any significant extent.

Taking part in EY 2012 : Members considered it very important that the initiatives launched as part of EY 2012 be followed up and transformed into a strong political commitment followed by concrete action to ensure social inclusion, active participation and the well-being of all generations.

Members called on the Commission to carry out a study on demographic decline , which is affecting an increasing number of regions in various EU countries, and to draw up a communication on the problem and on the steps that could be taken at European level.

In terms of implementation, Members considered regrettable that the relatively late approval of EY 2012 resulted in contracting and implementation delays.

Active ageing : Members recalled that active ageing is, inter alia, the process of optimising opportunities for health and for participation in society. They also highlighted the fact that active ageing also means better access to health, long-term care and social services, which have come under pressure in some cases during the crisis. They also recommended to all the Member States that, through their social security systems, they promote and strengthen high-quality public infrastructure for the elderly (homes, day centres and home support), where elderly people are seen as active participants.

These measures are necessary to:

develop a European strategy on dementia; propose measures on the unemployment among people over the age of 50; implement incentives for businesses to hire more older workers; fight against discrimination against older people; stabilise the rules on retirement, taking into account actual unemployment rates among the population above the age of 50 before changing the mandatory pension age as Members believed that linking the retirement age only to life expectancy fails to take account of the importance of labour market trends; ensure sustainability of public pension schemes and to guarantee individual and adequate pension income and rights for all; promote accessible technologies for ageing European societies; promote access to European funding to provide financial assistance to self-help 7 programmes run by organisations for older people, who are sharing their energy, knowledge, experiences and wisdom with each other.

Data collection to improve the lives of older people : Members considered it vital to collect complete and reliable data allowing assessment of the needs of older persons. They recommended to the Member States that they draw up and implement public policies and programmes that will not only improve physical health but also promote mental health and social ties. They considered it essential to support older people in living independently and actively for as long as possible by developing and maintaining people-oriented and demand-driven public support. They called on the Member States to ensure affordable, accessible and non-discriminatory health care and to prioritise prevention in their health care policies. They called, therefore, on the Commission to implement the Social Investment Package, to keep healthy ageing and the adequacy and quality of long-term care high on the political agenda .

Integrating older people in society : welcoming the Commission background paper entitled ‘Growing the Silver Economy in Europe’, Members stressed that everything should be done so that older people be a fully-fledged part of society and that their participation in daily life, including public life, be supported. These in effect allow for imparting values and experience to others and providing pointers on how to approach community life.

Demographic change : Members welcomed the forthcoming EU Covenant on Demographic Change as a major outcome of EY 2012 and of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing. They asked the Commission to identify areas within the EU budget where savings and efficiencies can be made in order to provide funding for the covenant. They also called on the Commission to adopt an EU Strategy on Demographic Change to coordinate EU action in various areas while stressing that demographic change should not be advanced as a justification for the dismantling of social entitlements and services for older people. In parallel, Members believed that a UN Convention to protect the rights of older persons will improve the lives of older persons by guaranteeing them equal access to political, economic, health care and cultural rights, and would represent an important platform to create an attitude shift towards ageing on a global scale.

They regretted that the Commission has not yet addressed age inequalities in the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and the Disability Strategy.

Volunteering by older people : Members stressed the importance of volunteering, which cannot be taken for granted and should therefore have its added social value taken into greater consideration. They supported active ageing and lifelong civic participation which enables older people to display a commitment to society, thereby improving their quality of life, well-being and general state of health. In this context, they regretted the discontinuation of the Grundtvig programme which supported older volunteers and urged the Commission to acknowledge the value of successful EU programmes which combined civic participation with EU-wide group exchanges involving older people.

In conclusion, Members underlined that a policy for justice between the generations must aim to create the necessary tools for conducting an open and frank intergenerational dialogue with a view to achieving win-win situations.

Documents
2015/07/15
   EP - Vote in committee
2015/07/14
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2015/06/04
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2015/05/05
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2015/01/15
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2014/11/26
   EP - KUKAN Eduard (PPE) appointed as rapporteur in EMPL

Documents

Activities

Votes

A8-0241/2015 - Eduard Kukan - Résolution #

2015/09/09 Outcome: +: 514, -: 106, 0: 69
DE IT PL ES RO FR HU SE BE PT BG LT CZ FI HR AT SK LV SI EE MT GB LU CY EL NL IE DK ??
Total
90
68
46
49
28
65
19
18
18
18
14
11
19
12
11
18
13
7
7
6
6
69
5
6
19
24
8
13
1
icon: PPE PPE
202
2

Estonia PPE

For (1)

1

Luxembourg PPE

3

Denmark PPE

Abstain (1)

1
icon: S&D S&D
178

Belgium S&D

2

Croatia S&D

2

Latvia S&D

1

Estonia S&D

For (1)

1

Malta S&D

3

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

1

Cyprus S&D

2

Netherlands S&D

3

Ireland S&D

For (1)

1
icon: ALDE ALDE
61

Germany ALDE

For (1)

3

Romania ALDE

2

Bulgaria ALDE

For (1)

1

Croatia ALDE

2

Austria ALDE

For (1)

1

Latvia ALDE

1

Slovenia ALDE

For (1)

1

Estonia ALDE

3

United Kingdom ALDE

1

Ireland ALDE

For (1)

1

Denmark ALDE

For (1)

Against (2)

3

ALDE

For (1)

1
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
47

Hungary Verts/ALE

2

Sweden Verts/ALE

3

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Lithuania Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Finland Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Croatia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Slovenia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Estonia Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

5

Luxembourg Verts/ALE

For (1)

1

Netherlands Verts/ALE

2

Denmark Verts/ALE

For (1)

1
icon: ECR ECR
66

Italy ECR

2

Bulgaria ECR

2

Lithuania ECR

1

Czechia ECR

2

Finland ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Croatia ECR

Abstain (1)

1

Slovakia ECR

Against (1)

Abstain (1)

3

Greece ECR

Against (1)

1

Netherlands ECR

2
icon: NI NI
10

Germany NI

For (1)

1

France NI

Against (1)

1

Hungary NI

2

United Kingdom NI

Abstain (1)

1

Netherlands NI

Against (1)

1
icon: EFDD EFDD
43

Poland EFDD

1

France EFDD

1

Sweden EFDD

2

Lithuania EFDD

For (1)

1

Czechia EFDD

Against (1)

1
icon: ENF ENF
36

Poland ENF

2

Romania ENF

Abstain (1)

1

Belgium ENF

Abstain (1)

1

United Kingdom ENF

Against (1)

1

Netherlands ENF

3
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
45

Italy GUE/NGL

3

France GUE/NGL

For (1)

3

Sweden GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Portugal GUE/NGL

2

Czechia GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Finland GUE/NGL

Abstain (1)

1

United Kingdom GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2

Netherlands GUE/NGL

3

Ireland GUE/NGL

3

Denmark GUE/NGL

Against (1)

1
AmendmentsDossier
197 2014/2255(INI)
2015/06/04 EMPL 184 amendments...
source: 560.594
2015/07/14 EMPL 13 amendments...
source: 564.970

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

committees/0/shadows/3
name
ZUBER Inês Cristina
group
European United Left - Nordic Green Left
abbr
GUE/NGL
docs/0/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE557.126
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/EMPL-PR-557126_EN.html
docs/1/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE560.594
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/EMPL-AM-560594_EN.html
docs/2/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE564.970
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/EMPL-AM-564970_EN.html
events/0/type
Old
Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
New
Committee referral announced in Parliament
events/1/type
Old
Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
New
Vote in committee
events/2/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-8-2015-0241_EN.html
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-8-2015-0241_EN.html
events/2/type
Old
Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
New
Committee report tabled for plenary
events/3/docs
  • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20150908&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament
events/4/docs
  • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20150908&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament
events/6/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-8-2015-0309_EN.html
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-8-2015-0309_EN.html
events/6/type
Old
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
New
Decision by Parliament
committees/0
type
Responsible Committee
body
EP
associated
False
committee_full
Employment and Social Affairs
committee
EMPL
rapporteur
name: KUKAN Eduard date: 2014-11-26T00:00:00 group: European People's Party (Christian Democrats) abbr: PPE
shadows
committees/0
type
Responsible Committee
body
EP
associated
False
committee_full
Employment and Social Affairs
committee
EMPL
date
2014-11-26T00:00:00
rapporteur
name: KUKAN Eduard group: European People's Party (Christian Democrats) abbr: PPE
shadows
docs/3/body
EC
events/2/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2015-0241&language=EN
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/A-8-2015-0241_EN.html
events/6/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2015-0309
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-8-2015-0309_EN.html
committees/0
type
Responsible Committee
body
EP
associated
False
committee_full
Employment and Social Affairs
committee
EMPL
date
2014-11-26T00:00:00
rapporteur
name: KUKAN Eduard group: European People's Party (Christian Democrats) abbr: PPE
shadows
committees/0
type
Responsible Committee
body
EP
associated
False
committee_full
Employment and Social Affairs
committee
EMPL
date
2014-11-26T00:00:00
rapporteur
name: KUKAN Eduard group: Group of European People's Party abbr: EPP
shadows
activities
  • date: 2015-01-15T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP shadows: group: S&D name: BLINKEVIČIŪTĖ Vilija group: ECR name: KRASNODĘBSKI Zdzisław group: ALDE name: VAJGL Ivo group: GUE/NGL name: ZUBER Inês Cristina group: Verts/ALE name: ŽDANOKA Tatjana group: EFD name: AGEA Laura responsible: True committee: EMPL date: 2014-11-26T00:00:00 committee_full: Employment and Social Affairs rapporteur: group: EPP name: KUKAN Eduard
  • date: 2015-07-15T00:00:00 body: EP type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP shadows: group: S&D name: BLINKEVIČIŪTĖ Vilija group: ECR name: KRASNODĘBSKI Zdzisław group: ALDE name: VAJGL Ivo group: GUE/NGL name: ZUBER Inês Cristina group: Verts/ALE name: ŽDANOKA Tatjana group: EFD name: AGEA Laura responsible: True committee: EMPL date: 2014-11-26T00:00:00 committee_full: Employment and Social Affairs rapporteur: group: EPP name: KUKAN Eduard
  • date: 2015-07-23T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2015-0241&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading title: A8-0241/2015 body: EP type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
  • date: 2015-09-08T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20150908&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament body: EP type: Debate in Parliament
  • date: 2015-09-09T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2015-0309 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T8-0309/2015 body: EP type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
commission
  • body: EC dg: Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion commissioner: THYSSEN Marianne
committees/0
type
Responsible Committee
body
EP
associated
False
committee_full
Employment and Social Affairs
committee
EMPL
date
2014-11-26T00:00:00
rapporteur
name: KUKAN Eduard group: Group of European People's Party abbr: EPP
shadows
committees/0
body
EP
shadows
responsible
True
committee
EMPL
date
2014-11-26T00:00:00
committee_full
Employment and Social Affairs
rapporteur
group: EPP name: KUKAN Eduard
docs
  • date: 2015-05-05T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE557.126 title: PE557.126 type: Committee draft report body: EP
  • date: 2015-06-04T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE560.594 title: PE560.594 type: Amendments tabled in committee body: EP
  • date: 2015-07-14T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE564.970 title: PE564.970 type: Amendments tabled in committee body: EP
  • date: 2016-02-24T00:00:00 docs: url: /oeil/spdoc.do?i=26061&j=0&l=en title: SP(2015)748 type: Commission response to text adopted in plenary
events
  • date: 2015-01-15T00:00:00 type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2015-07-15T00:00:00 type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2015-07-23T00:00:00 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2015-0241&language=EN title: A8-0241/2015 summary: The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs adopted an own-initiative report by Eduard KUKAN (PPE, SK) on the Report on the implementation, results and overall assessment of the 2012 European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations. Members recalled that the objective of the 2012 European Year (EY 2012) was to raise awareness of the value of active ageing , to stimulate the exchange of information, to promote active ageing policies and to create a framework for concrete action by the Union and its Member States, and by all stakeholders in the public and private sector. They also recalled that it is expected that by 2050 the average age of people in the EU will be over 50. Recognising that EY 2012 provided important political momentum which helped to open a discussion of the challenges of active ageing and intergenerational solidarity in Europe, Members welcomed the organisation of the year which has succeeded in its goal of mobilising relevant actors around active ageing and intergenerational solidarity and increased the number of initiatives for promoting active ageing in the Member States and strengthened the knowledge and skills of stakeholders involved. They considered it regrettable, however, that the objective of establishing new networks for sharing resources, projects and ideas among the public sector, private sector and civil society was rarely achieved. They also regretted the fact that the involvement of social partners was variable and that private businesses were not reached to any significant extent. Taking part in EY 2012 : Members considered it very important that the initiatives launched as part of EY 2012 be followed up and transformed into a strong political commitment followed by concrete action to ensure social inclusion, active participation and the well-being of all generations. Members called on the Commission to carry out a study on demographic decline , which is affecting an increasing number of regions in various EU countries, and to draw up a communication on the problem and on the steps that could be taken at European level. In terms of implementation, Members considered regrettable that the relatively late approval of EY 2012 resulted in contracting and implementation delays. Active ageing : Members recalled that active ageing is, inter alia, the process of optimising opportunities for health and for participation in society. They also highlighted the fact that active ageing also means better access to health, long-term care and social services, which have come under pressure in some cases during the crisis. They also recommended to all the Member States that, through their social security systems, they promote and strengthen high-quality public infrastructure for the elderly (homes, day centres and home support), where elderly people are seen as active participants. These measures are necessary to: develop a European strategy on dementia; propose measures on the unemployment among people over the age of 50; implement incentives for businesses to hire more older workers; fight against discrimination against older people; stabilise the rules on retirement, taking into account actual unemployment rates among the population above the age of 50 before changing the mandatory pension age as Members believed that linking the retirement age only to life expectancy fails to take account of the importance of labour market trends; ensure sustainability of public pension schemes and to guarantee individual and adequate pension income and rights for all; promote accessible technologies for ageing European societies; promote access to European funding to provide financial assistance to self-help 7 programmes run by organisations for older people, who are sharing their energy, knowledge, experiences and wisdom with each other. Data collection to improve the lives of older people : Members considered it vital to collect complete and reliable data allowing assessment of the needs of older persons. They recommended to the Member States that they draw up and implement public policies and programmes that will not only improve physical health but also promote mental health and social ties. They considered it essential to support older people in living independently and actively for as long as possible by developing and maintaining people-oriented and demand-driven public support. They called on the Member States to ensure affordable, accessible and non-discriminatory health care and to prioritise prevention in their health care policies. They called, therefore, on the Commission to implement the Social Investment Package, to keep healthy ageing and the adequacy and quality of long-term care high on the political agenda . Integrating older people in society : welcoming the Commission background paper entitled ‘Growing the Silver Economy in Europe’, Members stressed that everything should be done so that older people be a fully-fledged part of society and that their participation in daily life, including public life, be supported. These in effect allow for imparting values and experience to others and providing pointers on how to approach community life. Demographic change : Members welcomed the forthcoming EU Covenant on Demographic Change as a major outcome of EY 2012 and of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing. They asked the Commission to identify areas within the EU budget where savings and efficiencies can be made in order to provide funding for the covenant. They also called on the Commission to adopt an EU Strategy on Demographic Change to coordinate EU action in various areas while stressing that demographic change should not be advanced as a justification for the dismantling of social entitlements and services for older people. In parallel, Members believed that a UN Convention to protect the rights of older persons will improve the lives of older persons by guaranteeing them equal access to political, economic, health care and cultural rights, and would represent an important platform to create an attitude shift towards ageing on a global scale. They regretted that the Commission has not yet addressed age inequalities in the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and the Disability Strategy. Volunteering by older people : Members stressed the importance of volunteering, which cannot be taken for granted and should therefore have its added social value taken into greater consideration. They supported active ageing and lifelong civic participation which enables older people to display a commitment to society, thereby improving their quality of life, well-being and general state of health. In this context, they regretted the discontinuation of the Grundtvig programme which supported older volunteers and urged the Commission to acknowledge the value of successful EU programmes which combined civic participation with EU-wide group exchanges involving older people. In conclusion, Members underlined that a policy for justice between the generations must aim to create the necessary tools for conducting an open and frank intergenerational dialogue with a view to achieving win-win situations.
  • date: 2015-09-08T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20150908&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament
  • date: 2015-09-08T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20150908&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament
  • date: 2015-09-09T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=26061&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
  • date: 2015-09-09T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2015-0309 title: T8-0309/2015 summary: The European Parliament adopted by 514 votes to 106, with 69 abstentions, a resolution following the publication of the Report on the implementation, results and overall assessment of the 2012 European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations. Parliament recalled that the objective of the 2012 European Year (EY 2012) was to raise awareness of the value of active ageing , to stimulate the exchange of information, to promote active ageing policies and to create a framework for concrete action by the Union and its Member States, and by all stakeholders in the public and private sector. It also recalled that it is expected that by 2050 the average age of people in the EU will be over 50. Recognising that EY 2012 provided important political momentum which helped to open a discussion of the challenges of active ageing and intergenerational solidarity in Europe, Parliament welcomed the organisation of the year which has succeeded in its goal of mobilising relevant actors around active ageing and intergenerational solidarity and increased the number of initiatives for promoting active ageing in the Member States and strengthened the knowledge and skills of stakeholders involved. Members considered it regrettable, however, that the objective of establishing new networks for sharing resources, projects and ideas among the public sector, private sector and civil society was rarely achieved. They also regretted the fact that the involvement of social partners was variable and that private businesses were not reached to any significant extent. Taking part in EY 2012 : Parliament considered it very important that the initiatives launched as part of EY 2012 be followed up and transformed into a strong political commitment followed by concrete action to ensure social inclusion, active participation and the well-being of all generations, while respecting the principle of subsidiarity and proportionality. It called on the Commission to carry out a study on demographic decline , which is affecting an increasing number of regions in various EU countries, and to draw up a communication on the problem and on the steps that could be taken at European level. In terms of implementation, Parliament considered regrettable that the relatively late approval of EY 2012 resulted in contracting and implementation delays. Active ageing : Parliament recalled that active ageing is, inter alia, the process of optimising opportunities for health and for participation in society. It also highlighted the fact that active ageing also means better access to health, long-term care and social services, which have come under pressure in some cases during the crisis. It recommended to all the Member States that, through their social security systems, they promote and strengthen high-quality public infrastructure for the elderly (homes, day centres and home support), where elderly people are seen as active participants. These measures are necessary to: develop a European strategy on dementia; propose measures on the unemployment among people over the age of 50; fight against discrimination against older people; stabilise the rules on retirement, taking into account actual unemployment rates among the population above the age of 50 before changing the mandatory pension age as Members believed that linking the retirement age only to life expectancy fails to take account of the importance of labour market trends; ensure sustainability of public pension schemes and to guarantee individual and adequate pension income and rights for all; promote accessible technologies for ageing European societies; promote access to European funding to provide financial assistance to self-help 7 programmes run by organisations for older people, who are sharing their energy, knowledge, experiences and wisdom with each other. Creating ‘generational mentoring’ : Parliament stressed that consideration should be given in this connection above all to programmes such as ‘generational mentoring’, in which exchanges are encouraged between older experts and the younger generation at work and in training. It considered that incentives for businesses to hire much older workers could be put in place by Member States, and that, as a matter of principle, older workers should not be treated less favourably than younger workers with regard to vocational and continuing training. The importance of adapting workplaces to the needs of older workers was highlighted and more opportunities for older workers to work part time in line with their preferences should be provided. Data collection to improve the lives of older people : Parliament considered it vital to collect complete and reliable data allowing assessment of the needs of older persons. It recommended to the Member States that they draw up and implement public policies and programmes that will not only improve physical health but also promote mental health and social ties. It considered it essential to support older people in living independently and actively for as long as possible by developing and maintaining people-oriented and demand-driven public support. Members called on the Member States to ensure affordable, accessible and non-discriminatory health care and to prioritise prevention in their health care policies. They called, therefore, on the Commission to implement the Social Investment Package, to keep healthy ageing and the adequacy and quality of long-term care high on the political agenda . Parliament further urged the Commission to assess the feasibility and added value of a new EU financial instrument to provide a minimum income for all EU citizens below the poverty line. Integrating older people in society : welcoming the Commission background paper entitled ‘Growing the Silver Economy in Europe’, Parliament stressed that everything should be done so that older people be a fully-fledged part of society and that their participation in daily life, including public life, be supported. These in effect allow for imparting values and experience to others and providing pointers on how to approach community life. Demographic change : Parliament welcomed the forthcoming EU Covenant on Demographic Change as a major outcome of EY 2012 and of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing. It asked the Commission to identify areas within the EU budget where savings and efficiencies can be made in order to provide funding for the covenant. It also called on the Commission to adopt an EU Strategy on Demographic Change to coordinate EU action in various areas while stressing that demographic change should not be advanced as a justification for the dismantling of social entitlements and services for older people. In parallel, Members believed that a UN Convention to protect the rights of older persons will improve the lives of older persons by guaranteeing them equal access to political, economic, health care and cultural rights, and would represent an important platform to create an attitude shift towards ageing on a global scale. Parliament regretted that the Commission has not yet addressed age inequalities in the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and the Disability Strategy. Volunteering by older people : Members stressed the importance of volunteering, which cannot be taken for granted and should therefore have its added social value taken into greater consideration. They supported active ageing and lifelong civic participation which enables older people to display a commitment to society, thereby improving their quality of life, well-being and general state of health. In this context, they regretted the discontinuation of the Grundtvig programme which supported older volunteers and urged the Commission to acknowledge the value of successful EU programmes which combined civic participation with EU-wide group exchanges involving older people. In conclusion, Parliament underlined that a policy for justice between the generations must aim to create the necessary tools for conducting an open and frank intergenerational dialogue with a view to achieving win-win situations.
  • date: 2015-09-09T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
links
other
  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/social/ title: Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion commissioner: THYSSEN Marianne
procedure/dossier_of_the_committee
Old
EMPL/8/01909
New
  • EMPL/8/01909
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 54
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 052
procedure/subject
Old
  • 4.10.05 Social inclusion, poverty, minimum income
  • 4.10.07 The elderly
  • 4.10.11 Retirement, pensions
  • 4.10.14 Demography
  • 4.15.04 Workforce, occupational mobility, job conversion, working conditions
New
4.10.05
Social inclusion, poverty, minimum income
4.10.07
The elderly
4.10.11
Retirement, pensions
4.10.14
Demography
4.15.04
Workforce, occupational mobility, job conversion, working conditions
procedure/subtype
Old
Implementation
New
  • Implementation
  • See also 2010/0242(COD)
procedure/summary
  • See also
activities/2/docs
  • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2015-0241&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading title: A8-0241/2015
activities/3/docs
  • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20150908&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament
activities/3/type
Old
Debate in plenary scheduled
New
Debate in Parliament
activities/4/docs
  • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2015-0309 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T8-0309/2015
activities/4/type
Old
Vote in plenary scheduled
New
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting Parliament 1st reading / single reading / budget 1st stage
New
Procedure completed
activities/2
date
2015-07-23T00:00:00
body
EP
type
Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
procedure/stage_reached
Old
Awaiting committee decision
New
Awaiting Parliament 1st reading / single reading / budget 1st stage
activities/2/date
Old
2015-09-07T00:00:00
New
2015-09-08T00:00:00
activities/2/type
Old
Indicative plenary sitting date, 1st reading/single reading
New
Debate in plenary scheduled
activities/3
date
2015-09-09T00:00:00
body
EP
type
Vote in plenary scheduled
activities/1/committees
  • body: EP shadows: group: S&D name: BLINKEVIČIŪTĖ Vilija group: ECR name: KRASNODĘBSKI Zdzisław group: ALDE name: VAJGL Ivo group: GUE/NGL name: ZUBER Inês Cristina group: Verts/ALE name: ŽDANOKA Tatjana group: EFD name: AGEA Laura responsible: True committee: EMPL date: 2014-11-26T00:00:00 committee_full: Employment and Social Affairs rapporteur: group: EPP name: KUKAN Eduard
activities/1/type
Old
Vote scheduled in committee, 1st reading/single reading
New
Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
activities/1/date
Old
2015-07-16T00:00:00
New
2015-07-15T00:00:00
activities/0/committees/0/shadows/2
group
ALDE
name
VAJGL Ivo
committees/0/shadows/2
group
ALDE
name
VAJGL Ivo
activities/0/committees/0/shadows/4
group
EFD
name
AGEA Laura
committees/0/shadows/4
group
EFD
name
AGEA Laura
activities/0/committees/0/shadows/1
group
ECR
name
KRASNODĘBSKI Zdzisław
activities/2
date
2015-09-07T00:00:00
body
EP
type
Indicative plenary sitting date, 1st reading/single reading
committees/0/shadows/1
group
ECR
name
KRASNODĘBSKI Zdzisław
activities/0/committees/0/shadows/1
group
GUE/NGL
name
ZUBER Inês Cristina
committees/0/shadows/1
group
GUE/NGL
name
ZUBER Inês Cristina
activities
  • date: 2015-01-15T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP shadows: group: S&D name: BLINKEVIČIŪTĖ Vilija group: Verts/ALE name: ŽDANOKA Tatjana responsible: True committee: EMPL date: 2014-11-26T00:00:00 committee_full: Employment and Social Affairs rapporteur: group: EPP name: KUKAN Eduard
  • date: 2015-07-16T00:00:00 body: EP type: Vote scheduled in committee, 1st reading/single reading
committees
  • body: EP shadows: group: S&D name: BLINKEVIČIŪTĖ Vilija group: Verts/ALE name: ŽDANOKA Tatjana responsible: True committee: EMPL date: 2014-11-26T00:00:00 committee_full: Employment and Social Affairs rapporteur: group: EPP name: KUKAN Eduard
links
other
  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/social/ title: Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion commissioner: THYSSEN Marianne
procedure
dossier_of_the_committee
EMPL/8/01909
reference
2014/2255(INI)
title
Report on the implementation, results and overall assessment of the 2012 European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations
legal_basis
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 052
stage_reached
Awaiting committee decision
summary
See also
subtype
Implementation
type
INI - Own-initiative procedure
subject