MEPs propose action to improve the situation of older women in Europe

On 13 September, the European Parliament adopted a non legislative resolution calling for measures to facilitate and increase the active participation of older women in the labour market and help reduce the risk of poverty which is significantly higher among this group of the population. This resolution, drafted by Edith Bauer (EPP, Slovakia), calls for a multi-dimensional approach of the situation of older women, taking both gender and age into consideration, and for the adoption of measures in different areas impacting directly on older women’s situation in the fields of employment, pensions and health care.

MEPs acknowledge that women are often penalized at the work place and in their pension entitlement due to fragmented careers resulting from their family responsibilities and lower earnings. Regarding the issue of health care, they also note the crucial role of screening and preventive health care for older women and encourage the member states to better support the families who care for dependent persons.

Among the proposed measures are:

• end the mandatory retirement age;
• tackling gender discrimination in the work place through implementing the principle of equal pay-equal work
• addressing gender discrimination in pension entitlements in integrating gender equality into national pension reforms;
• improve the quality, accessibility and affordability of care (whether care provided by women to dependent persons or care received by women);
• promote inter-generational projects for older people

 AGE welcomes this resolution, which is fully in line with the comprehensive approach we are promoting and includes many of our recommendations to fight the discrimination and poverty faced by an increasing number of older women.

Click here to access the Mr Bauer’s report

Last Updated on Friday, 28 October 2011 14:25

AGE lobbies for older workers interests to be included in EP report on the agenda for new skills and jobs

AGE has been campaigning for older workers issues to be integrated within the upcoming EP report on the Agenda for new skills for jobs (rapporteur Regina Bastos MEP, EPP/Portugal). AGE’s employment experts prepared amendments to be tabled on this draft report. These included the need to better use the asset that older workers present and the creation of new job possibilities for workers of all ages including older women. The EU needs to make full use of its labour force potential including among those aged 50+ and to draw on their specific competencies, abilities and experiences. AGE also calls for adequate support to be given to the reconciliation of work and family life including for those with caring duties for dependent relatives, and for the recognition at EU level of skills acquired through informal and non-formal learning at work and through volunteering activities.

AGE also stressed the importance of mainstreaming intergenerational solidarity and cooperation within the employment context and for initiatives to be implemented that promote longer working lives such as job shares, skills and mid-career appraisal, employee volunteering and phased retirement including among those who work freelance.

AGE is also working closely with other social NGOs on this dossier (EAPN, YFJ, Solidar…) and participated in a joint meeting with Regina Bastos MEP’s office on 31 May where we presented the above points.

For more details, please contact Rachel Buchanan at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Hearing: New Skills and Jobs (Regina Bastos - EPP): http://www.europarl.europa.eu/activities/committees/homeCom.do?language=EN&body=EMPL

AGE proposes amendments to the draft report on European Platform against Poverty

Following the communication from the European Commission launched at the end of 2010, the European Parliament is working on a report on the European Platform against Poverty. The appointed rapporteur, Mr. Daerden, drafted a first version of the report and expected proposals for amendments until 22 June. AGE fully endorses Mr. Daerden’s draft report and proposed complementary amendments to better reflect the views of its member organisations.  AGE especially highlights the need to include in the report a reference to a minimum adequate income to allow all people to live in dignity, based on a basket of goods and services broken down by age and gender (for the older population with a division between 60-79 and 80 +), which also takes into account the non-monetary needs of the people such as access to services, decent housing, heating, public transport, social participation, etc. AGE also calls for efforts to promote policies allowing a transition between working life and retirement and banning mandatory retirement age, as well as measures to support the reconciliation of work and family life through the adoption of a Directive on carers’ leave. Finally, AGE recommends including a reference on the support to quality social and long-term care services, including the use of the voluntary EU quality framework for social services developed by the Social Protection Committee.

Mr Daerden’s draft report is available here

Last Updated on Wednesday, 06 July 2011 12:52

Important initiative reports in the pipeline in the European Parliament: European Platform against Poverty, New skills for New Jobs, Women approaching retirement age

AGE is following different important initiative reports in the European Parliament.

• Drafted by Frédéric Daerden MEP (S&D, Belgium) for the EMPL committee, the draft report on the European Platform against Poverty includes  various elements supported by AGE including the measurement of poverty according to a basket of goods and services (referring to older people’s minimum needs), a revised Open Method of Coordination, the importance of fighting older women’s poverty, etc.
• AGE is also working to influence the draft report on New skills for new jobs to make sure that older worker’s expectations are taken on board.
• The FEMM committee also discussed on 25 May two important dossiers: the recent and positive Court of Justice judgment on case Test Achats v Council of Ministers on gender as a factor in the assessment of insurance risks and the excellent draft report of Edit Bauer MEP (EPP, Hungary) on “Women approaching retirement age”.

AGE will propose in the upcoming weeks amendments to these different reports and will follow closely their progress in the decision process.