Re.: URGENT: European Year 2012 on Active Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity
Last June the European Commission launched an Open Consultation to collect views on the possible designation of 2012 as the European Year on Active Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity. This initiative followed a Euroflash survey that the Commission published in April 2009 which showed that these issues are high on European citizens concerns and a vast majority of EU citizens feel that public authorities at all levels should do more to empower older people to remain active and to promote greater solidarity and cooperation between generations.
A large coalition of European NGOs led by AGE has been campaigning in support of greater solidarity and cooperation between generations for several years. In a letter you addressed to them on 28 July 2008, you informed them “that the Commission will announce the 2012 European Year of Active Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity as part of a forthcoming communication on adapting to the needs of an ageing society”. The Swedish Presidency Council conclusions last December also called on the Commission to come up with a proposalfor a European year in 2012.
As Intergroup we are worried that no concrete proposal has come yet from the Commission and we would like to hear from you what your plans are regarding the European year in 2012. In our view it is of utmost importance to show that the European Union cares about its citizens and responds to this strong citizens’ call for a political commitment to find sustainable and fair solutions to the demographic challenge that all Member States are facing.
We thank you for making your utmost to ensure that active ageing and intergenerational solidarity remains a key objective of the European Commission work programme for the coming years and that the 2012 European Year of Active Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity is mentioned in the Commissions’ work programme which you are going to adopt next week.
We thank you for your support and look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
The co-chairs of the Intergroup on Ageing and Intergenerational solidarity.
- Letter of the co-chairs of the Intergroup on Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity to Pdt Barroso
- Letter from Pdt Barroso to AGE, AEIP, European Youth Forum and AIM about the announcement of the European Year 2012 (2008)
Last Updated on Tuesday, 30 March 2010 15:23
