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PRESS RELEASE,
Brussels, 28 April 2008

Bringing younger and older people closer together

AGE and the YFJ call on the EU to promote greater solidarity between generations

On the occasion of the Slovenian EU Presidency conference on “Intergenerational Solidarity for Cohesive and Sustainable Societies” organised in Brdo ( Slovenia ) on 28-29 April, AGE and the European Youth Forum (YFJ) thank Minister Cotman for her decision to initiate a shift in policy-making to promote greater solidarity and cooperation between generations.

“We need to review completely the way we develop our policies to reinforce the social links between generations, to promote a more balanced sharing of responsibilities and to generate equality and justice across European society,” highlighted Anne-Sophie Parent, Director of AGE. “There is an urgent need to address all aspects of intergenerational solidarity in the fields of healthcare, employment, social affairs and equal opportunities,” added Bettina Schwarzmayr, President of the European Youth Forum.

AGE and the YFJ are joining forces to call on the European Commission, EU Member States, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of Regions to bring about a new vision of society based on a greater solidarity between the generations. The two European networks, which together represent millions of younger and older citizens across the EU, believe that certain steps are crucial in ensuring intergenerational cooperation in current and future policy-making:

1. Intergenerational solidarity should become a horizontal objective of the renewed Social Agenda and the Lisbon Strategy. In addition, the Commission should promote the strengthening of solidarity between generations, and integrate this vision into all relevant EU policies.

2. EU Member States should mainstream intergenerational solidarity in their National Reform Programmes and National Reports on Strategies for Social Protection and Social Inclusion in order to promote greater social cohesion and the long-term sustainability of social models.

3. A European level event should be organised on intergenerational solidarity to promote the exchange of good practice and mutual learning in fields such as social protection, education, employment, volunteering, urban development, transport, long-term care and local initiatives.

4. Thanks to the Slovenian EU Presidency, the Spring Council 2008 concluded that “intergenerational solidarity should be considered in all four components of flexicurity”. AGE and the YFJ now call on the Commission to come up with concrete proposals to ensure that the Social Protection Committee (SPC), the Employment Committee (EMCO) and the Economic Policy Committee (EPC) will start working on this.

5. AGE and the YFJ call for the recognition of the importance of combating age discrimination in education, health and other goods and services. In this regard, both platforms would welcome comprehensive EU legislation covering all grounds of discrimination, including age, in all areas of life and not only in the field of employment.

6. Both platforms welcome the Slovenian EU Presidency proposal to launch a ‘European Day on Intergenerational Solidarity’ and to propose a declaration for 2012 to be named as the ‘EU Year on Active Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity’. Both initiatives will help EU citizens and policy makers to realise that change is necessary if EU Member States are to meet the challenges posed by an ageing population and, ultimately, to achieve a society tailored to all ages.

The members of AGE and the European Youth Forum look forward to taking an active role in any initiatives implemented at the local, national or European levels to promote greater solidarity and cooperation between generations.