Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on Ageing well in the information society
Date: 2007-11-28
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: EU action, EU programme, elderly person, information society, information technology, population ageing, research programme, technological change

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EN

Official Journal of the European Union

26.2.2008

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on ‘Ageing well in the information society’

(2008/C 53/07)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

— urges local and regional authorities in Europe to make extensive use of ICT opportunities to meet the
challenges of an ageing population and thus improve the quality of life of older people, keep them
integrated with local communities and promote local and regional competitiveness through the provi-
sion of personalised services;

— calls for local and regional authorities to be given a major role in designing national and EU research
programmes and activities geared to ICT solutions for ageing in recognition of the fact that the effects
of population ageing are most evident at local level and that local and regional authorities are major
users of these solutions;

— urges local and regional authorities to disseminate information on the subject, draw up strategies on
organising service provision under the new circumstances and increase the local partnership between
the various stakeholders;

— believes that promoting independent living and remote health monitoring by ICT should improve the
productivity of social and healthcare services and give professionals more time to perform the tasks
for which they are trained. Technology should be adapted to the needs of the elderly and not vice
versa. It must not lead to increased loneliness and respect privacy and dignity of older people;

— notes the narrow focus of the Action Plan in examining eLearning; there is a need to take on board
the fact that technology-assisted learning has made an important contribution to helping older people
remain creative and socially active;

— agrees that differences in the way Member States apply the provisions related to disability in electronic
communications impede access to communication services and fragment the European technology
market.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Rapporteur: Risto KOIVISTO (FI/PES), President of Tampere Regional Council

Reference document

Communication of the European Commission on Ageing well in the information society — an i2010 initia-
tive: Action Plan on information and communication technologies and ageing

COM(2007) 332 final

Policy recommendations

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

1.
considers the Action Plan on ageing well in the informa-
tion society to be a very important step in the development of
the European information society. Investment in ICT provides a
key tool for regions and cities in their efforts to tackle the chal-
lenge of population ageing. Such investment can enhance older
people's quality of
inclusion, enable
life, support their social
them to contribute their accumulated experience and skills to
the development of society and stimulate competitiveness and
growth at local and regional level through new products and
In an earlier opinion on the i2010 strategy for a
services.
European information society,
the Committee welcomed the
identification of the needs of the ageing society as one of the
three key priorities of the strategy (1);

2.
notes that the communication and the Action Plan also
support the proposals put forward in the Committee's opinions
inter alia, the demographic future of Europe (2), practical
on,
measures relating to an equitable information society (3), ICT
research (4), employment of older workers (5) and the position
of people with disabilities (6);

3.
stresses that local and regional authorities have a major
interest and role in all the areas covered by the Commission's
Action Plan:

— Ageing well at work. Local and regional authorities are a
major employer and the age structure of their workforce is
often more diversified and older than in the private sector,
which is why it
in the
European projects mentioned in the Action Plan and also
implement similar measures at local level.

they take part

is essential

that

— Ageing well

in the community and at home. Local and
regional authorities are the main providers of public health
and social services. Whilst ageing increases the demand for
these services and changes their content, it also reduces the
availability of skilled labour needed for the delivery of these
services. Information technology has an important role in
finding solutions to these challenges. Only a small fraction

(1) CdR 252/2005 fin.
(2) CdR 341/2006 fin.
(3) CdR 272/2006 fin, CdR 252/2005 fin, CdR 256/2004 fin, CdR

193/2004 fin, CdR 136/2002 fin and CdR 303/2000 fin.

(4) CdR 155/2005 and CdR 150/2005 fin.
(5) CdR 151/2004 fin.
(6) CdR 312/2003 fin.

of this potential has been tapped and particularly support
for independent living at home,
increasing clients' active
in their own healthcare and enhancing the
involvement
effectiveness of service provision are priority areas for
further development in the future;

4.
emphasises the major disparities which exist between
regions in Europe and draws attention to the problems faced by
local and regional authorities, particularly in areas where the
out-migration of young people is causing the average age to rise
faster than elsewhere;

points out that variation in Internet use in Europe is due,
5.
in very large part, to differences relating to wealth, skills and
place of residence, which are not directly the result of ageing
but which are more pronounced among the elderly. Increasing
opportunities at local
level to implement training, broadband
and other general projects promoting an equitable information
society can also help to improve the situation of the elderly;

agrees with the Commission that

6.
for
ageing-related products and services is still in its infancy. It is
important for the competitiveness of
the EU that European
companies quickly gain a leading position in this rapidly
growing market;

the ICT market

Raising awareness and building common strategies

7.
supports the exchange of policies and practical experi-
ences, dissemination of best practice, benchmarking across the
Member States' regions and cities and, in particular, the creation
of a Europe-wide regional network which could be used to
increase and improve regions' opportunities to take part in
cooperation projects. Regions and cities already have their own
experience to offer to networks, especially in the areas of tele-
medicine and services and technologies supporting independent
living;

recalls that those responsible for developing and managing
8.
public services also need new skills development programmes,
incorporating the different viewpoints, so that the measures
presented in the Action Plan can be implemented;

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Putting the enabling conditions in place

Preparing for the future

is essential

notes that
it

to increase the employment

rate of older
9.
workers
to promote more flexible working
arrangements, good work-life balance, appropriate health and
safety conditions at work and lifelong learning. Thus the
Committee of the Regions endorses the Commission's view that
innovative ICT solutions supporting, for example, teleworking
and training, are key ways of achieving the goals of these new
working life patterns;

supports the Commission's plan to review policies to
10.
promote digital competencies
in 2007-2008. One priority
should be to help local and regional authorities in their efforts
to make optimal use of the Structural Funds and, inter alia, the
Lifelong Learning Programme to develop the competencies of
elderly people and benefit from the good experience gained
with peer training among older people;

draws attention to how the information society (particu-
11.
larly mobile phones and the Internet) has changed language,
culture, the media and society as a whole. Thus the problem of
the digital divide is far more than just about opportunities to
use a computer. Joint projects involving the elderly and young
people might be one way to help bridge the divide;

12.
stresses that, despite the interoperability problems and
differences in the provision of healthcare and home care services
mentioned in the communication, the potential for the develop-
ment and take-up of European products, for example in smart
homes applications, is already good;

that

important

considers it

13.
the various stakeholders
(including the elderly themselves and social and healthcare
service providers) can establish a common position and thus
remove
and other barriers
hampering the development of ICT solutions for ageing well;

accessibility

technical,

legal,

Promoting take-up

14.
shares the Commission's concern that currently not
enough is being done to ensure that technological innovations
are transformed into practical and affordable products. Regions
and cities can help remedy this situation, not only by procuring
and developing these products but also by fostering an
economic environment which gives businesses better opportu-
nities to access bigger markets;

notes that

17.
it wholeheartedly supports the significant
boost given to multidisciplinary research on ageing in the
7th Research Framework Programme;

believes that the focus of the Action Plan on shared
18.
research, pooling of
resources and common agendas well
reflects the Committee's previous calls for enhancing the coordi-
nation of national research programmes on ageing at European
level
through interregional cooperation under a reinforced
ERA-NET scheme;

stresses

that close cooperation between researchers,
19.
companies of different size, the third sector, local and regional
authorities and, in particular, older people is a prerequisite for
the success of research and development in the area of ICT solu-
tions for ageing;

20.
recalls that local and regional authorities can create an
innovative research environment and explore new avenues for
institutional cooperation between the public and private sectors
and cross-border regional cooperation. In addition to invest-
ment by local and regional authorities, this also requires finan-
cial support from Member States and the EU;

Committee of the Regions' main views

21.
believes that more information is needed on the large
disparities that exist between regions so as to be able to draw
the right conclusions and ensure that sufficiently effective
measures are taken;

notes

ICT-enhanced

the communication in
the narrow focus of
22.
it
(eLearning), which
learning
examining
approaches largely from the viewpoint of the developing the
world of work.
In preparing for the implementation of the
Action Plan, there is a need to take on board the fact that in
many countries retired people are already a large client group
for adult education provided by local and regional authorities
and that technology-assisted learning has made an important
contribution to helping older people remain creative and
socially active;

15.
particularly welcomes the specific mention in the Action
Plan to the effect that pilot projects should also be led by local
and regional authorities;

23.
recommends that ICT services for older people be given
a more prominent role in the Regions for Economic Change
initiative;

16.
supports the Commission's plans to encourage govern-
ment, at local, regional and national level, to exploit the poten-
tial of innovative public procurement, but would point out that
local and regional authorities need to be provided with clear
procedures on how innovative procurement is to be conducted
within the framework of general public procurement rules;

24.
calls for local and regional authorities to be given a
major role in designing national and EU research programmes
and activities geared to ICT solutions for ageing in recognition
of the fact that the effects of population ageing are most evident
at local level and that local and regional authorities are major
users of these solutions;

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25.
believes it is vital in selecting the projects mentioned in
the Action Plan for promoting independent living and remote
health monitoring that the following criteria are also taken into
account:

— support for independent living must not lead to increased

loneliness;

— technology should be adapted to the needs of the elderly

and not vice versa;

— the services developed must respect the privacy and dignity

of older people;

— the projects must be able to improve the productivity of
services and give social and healthcare professionals more
time to perform the tasks for which they are trained;

26.
agrees with the Commission's assertion that differences
in the way Member States apply the provisions related to
disability in the regulatory framework for electronic communi-
cations impede access to communication services and fragment
the European technology market, but at the same time stresses
that people with disabilities must not be left to rely solely on
electronic services; rather, the focus must be on harnessing tech-
nology to support access to services through many different
channels;

27.
recalls that ICT development offers a chance to reconcile
the needs of older people to have access to information and
communication services, and of young people to seek job

Brussels, 28 November 2007.

opportunities that contribute to dialogue between the genera-
tions;

would moreover recall that, irrespective of or in addition
28.
to, EU financial or other programmes, local and regional autho-
rities should:

— set up their own schemes and pilot projects for the develop-

ment, take-up and use of ICT for ageing well;

— use other available instruments, such as voluntary guidelines,
they are

to promote the conversion of homes so that
suitable for independent living; and

— otherwise promote widespread cooperation in social, health-

care and housing services at local and regional level;

29.
urges local and regional authorities to disseminate infor-
mation on the subject, draw up strategies on the effects of
ageing and on organising service provision under the new
circumstances and, as mentioned in the Action Plan, increase
the local partnership between the various stakeholders;

urges local and regional authorities in Europe to make
30.
extensive use of ICT opportunities to meet the challenges of an
ageing population and thus improve the quality of life of older
people, keep them integrated with local communities and
promote local and regional competitiveness through the provi-
sion of personalised services.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Michel DELEBARRE