COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT EX-ANTE EVALUATION   Accompanying document to the   DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL  on the European Year for Active Ageing (2012)   COM(2010) 462
Date: 2010-09-06
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: demography, economic consequence, labour market, occupational health, pension scheme, population ageing, report, vocational training

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 6.9.2010 
SEC(2010) 1002 final 

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 

EX-ANTE EVALUATION 

Accompanying document to the 

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

on the European Year for Active Ageing (2012) 

COM(2010) 462 

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   EN 

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. 

INTRODUCTION  

The  present  ex-ante  evaluation  follows  a  call  from  the  Slovenian  Presidency  in  2008  for  a 
European  Year  on  Active  Ageing  and  Intergenerational  Solidarity  (2012).  The  Council 
reiterated its interest in such an initiative in November 2009 when it invited the Commission 
to develop awareness-raising activities to promote active ageing including a European Year.  

The  Commission  plans  to  adopt  a  proposal  for  a  Decision  by  Parliament  and  Council  on 
designating 2012 as European Year on Active Ageing. The Commission opted for the short 
title  of  active  ageing  which  implies  that  intergenerational  solidarity  is  to  be  seen  as  an 
outcome of active ageing which presents a key opportunity for preserving solidarity between 
generations.  

In preparing the ex-ante evaluation, the Commission services have also asked for the views of 
key  stakeholders  regarding  the  orientation  and  implementation  of  the  European  Year  (see 
below  3.4).  In  addition,  the  Commission  services  took  into  account  evaluation  results  of 
previous European Years.  

This  ex-ante  evaluation  considers  the  different  options  for  an  initiative  on  promoting  active 
ageing.  The  structure  of  the  document  is  as  follows:  definitions  and  policy  context  (2), 
problem analysis and needs assessment (3), objectives (4), policy options (5), assessment of 
policy options (6), implementation of preferred option (7), monitoring and evaluation (8). 

2. 

DEFINITION AND POLICY CONTEXT 

2.1. 

Definition of active ageing 

Active  ageing  is  defined  by  the  World  Health  Organization  as  the  process  of  optimizing 
opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people 
age1.  It  allows  people  to  realize  their  potential  for  wellbeing  throughout  their  lives  and  to 
participate in society according to their needs, desires and capabilities, while providing them 
with adequate protection, security and care when they need assistance. While this definition 
includes the notion of continuing activity in the labour force, it also encompasses continuing 
participation of older people in society.  

2.2. 

The policy context 

In April 2002, the United Nations’ Second World Assembly on Ageing2, adopted the Madrid 
International Action Plan on Ageing, which includes the recognition that persons, as they age, 
should  enjoy  active  participation  in  the  economic,  social,  cultural  and  political  life  of  their 
societies as a main development objective. The political messages of the Madrid Action Plan 
were supported by the Commission in its Communication of 18 March 20023.  

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World Health Organisation (2002) Active Ageing - A Policy Framework, p. 12. 
United  Nations  Report  of  the  Second  World  Assembly  on  Ageing,  Madrid,  8-12  April  2002 
A/CONF.179/9. 
Europe’s response to World Ageing - COM(2002) 143, 18 March 2002. 

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In  October  2005,  the  Heads  of  State  and  of  Government  stressed  at  their  Hampton  Court 
informal  summit  that  demographic  ageing  is  one  of  the  main  challenges  that  the  European 
Union will have to face in the years to come.  

In October 2006, the Commission presented its views on the demographic challenges the EU 
faces and on opportunities for tackling them in the Communication "The demographic future 
of Europe — from challenge to opportunity"4. The Communication expressed confidence in 
Europe’s ability to adapt to demographic change and notably population ageing. It identified 
five key policy responses through which Member States can respond in a constructive way to 
demographic change and make population ageing manageable.  

In  this  context,  the  Council  adopted  in  2007  a  Resolution  on  the  "Opportunities  and 
challenges  of  demographic  change  in  Europe:  the  contribution  of  older  people  to  economic 
and  social  development"  which  emphasized  the  need  to  increase  the  possibilities  for  active 
participation by older people5.  

In 2008, the Slovenian Presidency organised a conference on "Intergenerational Solidarity for 
Cohesive  and  Sustainable  Societies".  The  conference  conclusions  presented  to  the  EPSCO-
Council  put  forward  the  idea  of  the  2012  European  Year  for  Active  Ageing  and 
Intergenerational  Solidarity:  "The  year  2012  should  be  called  Year  of  Intergenerational 
Solidarity as well as European Year of Active Ageing"6. 

As  a  follow-up  to  the  Slovenian  Presidency  conference,  a  coalition  of  European  NGO 
networks  organised  for  the  first  time,  on  29  April  2009,  a  European  Day  on  Solidarity 
between Generations.  

On the same day, the Commission issued a Communication on dealing with the impact of an 
ageing  population7.  The  Communication  presented  age-related  expenditure  projections  and 
outlined the Commission's views on Europe’s ability to tackle the challenge of ageing in view 
of  the  economic  crisis.  It  stated  that  governments  have  a  window  of  opportunity  before  the 
baby-boom generation retires to implement policies that address the challenge. In this context, 
the  Communication  stresses  the  importance  of  helping  and  encouraging  the  ageing  baby-
boomers  to  stay  in  the  labour  market  rather  than  retire  early,  as  previous  generations  have 
tended to do. Europe's best chance of ensuring that ageing will not be perceived as a threat, 
but  as  a  historic  achievement,  lies  in  not  wasting  the  potential  of  these  baby-boom 
generations.  

The  Council  adopted  on  8  June  2009  Conclusions  on  "Equal  Opportunities  for  women  and 
men:  active  and  dignified  ageing",  which  recognizes  that,  throughout  the  EU,  older  women 
and men face serious challenges as they seek to live active lives and to age with dignity and 
proposes a number of actions to Member States and the Commission in the domain.  

The Council adopted on 30 November 2009 Conclusions on "Healthy and dignified ageing" 
which  invite  the  Commission  to  develop  awareness-raising  activities  to  promote  active 

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COM (2006) 571, 12 October 2006. 
Council conclusions of 22 February 2007. 
Information  from  the  Slovenian  Presidency  on  the  Conference  on  Intergenerational  Solidarity  for 
Cohesive and Sustainable Societies (Brdo pri Kranju, 27–29 April 2008), 10318/08 (SOC 342). 
COM (2009) 180, 29 April 2009 

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ageing, including a possible European Year on Active Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity 
in 20128. 

The Treaty of Lisbon mentions for the first time in Art. 3. 3. solidarity between generations as 
one of the objectives of the European Union.  

The  18-month  programme  of  the  Spanish,  Belgian  and  Hungarian  Presidencies  announced 
that  the  three  Presidencies  will  focus  on  supporting  various  initiatives  in  the  context  of 
population  ageing,  and  thus  conduct  preparatory  work  for  the  European  Year  on  Active 
Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity in 2012.  

The  Commission  emphasises  it  its  Communication  on  "Europe  2020  –  A  strategy  or  smart, 
sustainable and inclusive growth" the importance of the European Union's ability to meet the 
challenge  of  promoting  a  healthy  and  active  ageing  population  to  allow  for  social  cohesion 
and higher productivity. 

3. 

PROBLEM ANALYSIS AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT 

Today,  Europeans  are  living  longer  and  healthier  lives  than  ever  before.  Since  1960,  life 
expectancy has risen by eight years, and demographic projections forecast a further five-year 
increase  over  the  next  forty  years.  This  is  a  historic  achievement  that  deserves  to  be 
celebrated.  

Rising life expectancy, combined with low birth rates, also imply a changing balance between 
younger and older people, a shift that is currently being accelerated by the fact that the large 
baby boom cohorts are reaching their retirement age.  

The  EU  population  pyramid  clearly  shows  an  increase  in  cohort  size  just  after  the  end  of 
World  War  II,  marking  the  start  of  the  baby  boom.  This  was  60  years  ago,  and  the  first  of 
these large baby boom cohorts are now beginning to retire. From the year 2012 onwards the 
European  working-age  population  will  shrink,  while  the  population  aged  over  60  years  will 
continue  to  increase  by  about  2  million  people a  year,  according  to  a  scenario  that  assumes 
sustained immigration and a slight increase in birth rates9. 

These  demographic  changes  present  certain  challenges and opportunities.  Population  ageing 
may  increase  pressure  on  public  budgets  and  pension  systems,  as  well  as  on  the  staffing  of 
social  and  care  services  for  older  people.  Old  age  is  still  often  associated  with  illness  and 
dependency, and older people can feel excluded from employment as well as from family and 
community life. There is a fear that accelerated ageing of Europe's societies could lead to the 
older generations becoming too heavy a burden on younger, working-age people and that this 
could result in tensions between the generations.  

This  view  neglects,  however,  the  significant  actual  and  potential  contribution  that  older 
people and the baby-boom cohorts in particular, can make to society. A key opportunity for 
tackling  the  challenge  of  demographic  ageing  and  preserving  intergenerational  solidarity 

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Council conclusions of 20 November 2009 on healthy and dignified ageing, 
2nd  European  Demography  Report  Meeting  Social  Needs  in  an  Ageing  Society.  SEC  (2008)  2911 
http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=502&newsId=419&furtherNews=yes 

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therefore  consists  in  ensuring  that  the  baby-boom  cohorts  stay  longer  on  the  labour  market 
and remain healthy, active and autonomous for longer after retirement.  

3.1. 

The main challenges 

3.1.1.  Tackling early retirement  

Policies  in  Member  States  have  reversed  the  trend  to  earlier  retirement,  the  EU-27  average 
employment  rate  for  people  aged  55-64  years  increasing  by  nearly  about  nine  percentage 
points from 36.9 % in 2000 to 46.0% in 200910. This trend is a clear indication that the Lisbon 
strategy, with its objective of promoting employment of older persons, is having an impact. 

Recent projections from Eurostat indicate that the working age population is set to decrease 
by  about  50  million  people  between  2008  and  2060,  which  could  produce  a  concomitant 
decline in GDP growth11. In great part this decrease will be caused by members of the large 
baby-boom cohorts (now in their 50s and 60s and making up a major share of Europe’s labour 
force)  retiring.  Encouraging  this  generation  to  stay  in  employment  requires  removal  of 
obstacles  to  employment  and  the  introduction  of  flexible  retirement  mechanisms  rewarding 
longer working lives. More flexible working time and work organisation is needed, in order to 
encourage,  for  instance,  more  part-time  working  as  an  alternative  to  retirement,  and  to 
improve access to lifelong learning for older workers. Health promotion throughout working 
life, as well as effective and efficient health services are also important because ill health is a 
key factor in early retirement. In the current context of an economic recession, it is also vital 
to ensure that dismissed older workers will be able to return to employment once the labour 
market  situation  improves  and  to  fight  age  discrimination.  A  recent  Eurobarometer  showed 
that  the  economic  crisis  led  to  a  shift  in  public  opinion  about  the  extent  of  discrimination 
based  on  age.  Europeans  now  far  more  often perceive discrimination  on the grounds of age 
(+16 percentage points since 2008)12. 

Providing more high-quality jobs for older people is a necessary part of a strategy to tackle 
some of the causes of poverty among this age group. Giving older workers the choice to work 
for  longer  means  that  they  can  benefit  from  higher  incomes  while  still  at  work,  as  well  as 
from higher levels of savings and pensions at retirement. This issue is particularly acute for 
older women, a group that faces high relative poverty rates in the EU (22% in 2008) in part 
due to women’s careers being interrupted more frequently by caring responsibilities, and from 
their lower lifetime levels of earnings and savings. 

The  Lisbon  Strategy  defines  a  comprehensive  strategy  to  promote  the  employment  of  older 
workers.  Although  some  progress  has  been  made,  more  needs  to  be  done.  In  order  to 
encourage a process of change it is important: (1) to raise the awareness (among the general 
public, policy makers and other stakeholders) of the potential of older workers which could be 
unlocked:  (2)  to  foster  exchange  of  experience  among  stakeholders  on  how  to  implement 
active ageing strategies in employment; (3) to encourage public authorities and stakeholders 
at  all  levels  to  develop  policies  further  to  reduce  early  exit  from  the  labour  force  through 
specific measures.  

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Source. Eurostat, EU Labour Force Survey. 
Eurostat (2008) Statistics in Focus: Population and social conditions, 72, p7. 
Discrimination in the EU in 2009. Special Eurobarometer 317. 

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In  the  Commission’s  public  consultation,  responses  often  noted  the  need  to  strengthen  the 
opportunities  for  older  people  to  continue  working,  in  part  to  help  maintain  their  economic 
and  social  integration13.  Some  public  authorities  and  civil  society  organisations  noted  the 
increasing impoverishment of older people, while others feared that the retirement of the baby 
boom generation would generate shortages of specialists working in certain sectors, including 
teaching, health professionals and leaders of small businesses. 

3.1.2.  Combating the isolation of older people through active participation 

A  considerable  number  of  EU  citizens  experience  old  age  as  a  time  of  marginalisation  and 
poverty,  the  current  socio-economic  crisis  creating  additional  pressure.  Compared  to  men, 
older  women  face  particular  difficulties  in  terms  of  isolation  and  risk  of  poverty  (22%  for 
female  vs.  16%  for  male  in  2008  for  EU-27).  Active  participation  in  voluntary  activities 
following retirement could help reduce the isolation of older people as well as help develop 
intergenerational solidarities. 

A recent survey found that older people are willing to participate in volunteering with nearly 
half of those who had retired stating that they had already volunteered or that they planned to 
(Flash Eurobarometer n° 247, 2008). Equally, nearly one in four retired people polled stated 
that they had already or planned to enrol in education courses. Encouraging older people to 
acquire  new  skills  will  enable  them  to  participate  more  actively  in  society.  Evidence  is 
growing  that  promoting  social  participation  in  older  people  through  activities  such  as 
volunteering  and  education enhances older people’s mental and physical health and reduces 
mortality rates, perhaps through generating social capital and greater social support14. In the 
Commission’s  public consultation,  respondents described the important task of reducing  the 
isolation  of  older  people  by  developing  neighbourhood  and  local  solidarities  through 
initiatives such as volunteering.  

After  their  retirement  from  the  labour  market,  senior  citizens  may  pursue  a  wide  range  of 
other activities. A detailed picture on the social participation and activities of older people can 
be  obtained  from  the  Survey  of  Health,  Ageing  and  Retirement  in  Europe  (SHARE15), 
although it covers only 12 Member States. Data from the latest wave (2006-2007) of SHARE 
show that 19 % of people aged 50 or over were engaged in general social activities (in clubs 
and political or community organisations) in the month prior to the interview, another 13.5 % 
of respondents provided informal help outside their families, 11 % were involved in voluntary 
or charity work in the month preceding the interview, and 6 % provided care to other adults, 
typically to other family members. 

There  also  appears  to  be  increasing  readiness  among  policy  makers  to  promote  voluntary 
work by older people. Such initiatives need to take into account the fact that new cohorts of 
older  volunteers  will  tend  to  have  higher  levels  of  educational  attainment,  and  more  skilled 
professional  backgrounds.  This  could  allow  them  to  make  an  effective  contribution  as 
volunteers, provided the right framework for mobilising their potential is put in place. 

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European Commission (2009) Public consultation on a possible designation of 2012 as European Year 
of active ageing and intergenerational solidarity. 
Onyx  J  &  Warburton  J  (2003)  Volunteering  and  health  among  older  people:  a  review.  Australasian 
Journal on Ageing 22 (2) 65-69. 
See: http://www.share-project.org/t3/share/index.php?id=73 

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To develop the potential of older people as volunteers it is important: (1) to raise awareness of 
the potential contribution of senior citizens to society through  volunteering; (2) to stimulate 
good practice between Member States and stakeholders at all levels on how to promote senior 
volunteering;  (3)  to  support  Members  States  and  stakeholders  to  develop  specific  activities 
and to commit to objectives related to senior volunteering.  

3.1.3.  Tackling ill health in older ages 

Improving  population  health  is  vital  for  individual  and  societal  well-being.  While  directly 
contributing to individual quality of life, a healthy population is critical for economic growth 
and prosperity in Europe by enabling people to remain active in society for longer as well as 
by limiting strain on health and social care systems. The Commission has recently projected 
an  increase  in  public  healthcare  expenditure  of  1-2  %  in  most  Member  States  as  a  result  of 
population ageing alone; a figure which represents an increase in the proportion of GDP spent 
on  healthcare  of  up  to  25 %16.  However,  projections  also  show  that  if  future  gains  in  life 
expectancy  were  generally  acquired  in  good  health  and  without  disability,  the  rise  in 
healthcare spending due to population ageing would be halved17. 

The prevalence of physical health problems among older people is high, according to surveys 
such  as  the  Survey  of  Health,  Ageing  and  Retirement  in  Europe  (SHARE).  While  there  is 
some  recent  evidence  indicating  some  compression  of  morbidity  among  the  elderly,  new 
treatments enabling those with once fatal diseases to survive may lead to a longer period of 
morbidity  in  the  future18.  While  life  expectancy  in  Europe  is  increasing,  the  trends  for  the 
number of years people live in good health (healthy life years) are more divergent, with the 
situation in some countries in the EU15 getting worse. Figures from 2006 show that men in 
the EU15 can expect to live about 85 % of their lives in good health on average; while women 
may live longer, they spend only about 80 % of their lives in good health19.  

Many of the illnesses that cause poor health in older age, such as cardiovascular disease, type 
II diabetes and mental illness, are preventable. Although these conditions may be the outcome 
of  risk  factors  accumulated  over  a  lifetime,  much  health  gain  can  still  be  achieved  at  older 
ages.  Tackling  these  chronic  illnesses  will  require  a  two-fold  approach  to  promote  health 
throughout  the  lifespan  and  tackle  health  inequalities  linked  to  social,  economic  and 
environmental factors.  

In the public consultation, respondents argued that the concept of ageing as healthy and active 
needed to be promoted and supported. Policies encouraging active ageing promote improved 
mental  and  physical  well-being  in  older  people  by  helping  people  maintain  an  active, 

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The  impact  of  ageing  on  public  expenditure:  projections  for  the  EU25  Member  States  on  pensions, 
health-care,  long  term  care,  education  and  unemployment  transfers  (2004-2050),  Economic  Policy 
Committee  and  European  Commission  (DG  ECFIN)  2006,  European  Economy,  Special  Report 
no.1/2006. 
idem. 
Parker  MG  &  Thorslund  M  (2007)  Health  trends  in  the  elder  population:  getting  better  and  getting 
worse. The Gerontologist 47 (2), 150-158; Nolte E & McKee M (2008) Caring for people with chronic 
conditions - A health system perspective. European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies Series. 
http://www.euro.who.int/Document/E91878.pdf;  Jeune  B  &  Brønnum-Hansen  H  (2008)  Health  trends 
in health expectancy at age 65 for various health indicators, 1987-2005. European Journal of Ageing 5 
(4), 279-85. 
European Commission (2007) Discussion Paper “Healthy ageing: keystone for a sustainable Europe”. 
DG SANCO, DG ECFIN and DG EMPL, p. 5. 

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independent,  social  and  meaningful  life  as  they  age.  Enhancing  active  ageing  means 
extending life-long learning and facilitating older people to stay in employment and take up 
voluntary work. Tackling illness or disability, which are major causes of retirement, will aid 
active ageing policies in turn. To this end, promoting healthy ageing can help improve labour 
participation and productivity in older people20.  

In order to promote healthy ageing and to support the  implementation  of policies  aiming to 
promote  mental  and  physical  well-being  in  older  age,  it  is  vital:  (1)  to  increase  public 
sensitivity  and  raise  the  awareness  of  policy  makers  to  the  possibilities  for  reducing 
significantly  ill-health  in  older  age  and  the  quantified  benefits  of  having  a  healthy  older 
population, translated also into the contributions that older people can continue to have in the 
labour market and in society; (2) to stimulate active debate amongst stakeholders at all levels 
in order to develop initiatives but also to identify and transfer good practices; (3) to encourage 
Member  States  and  relevant  stakeholders  to  develop  specific  activities  and  to  commit  to 
specific objectives related to healthy ageing.  

3.2. 

Current initiatives at EU level 

The European Union has already taken various initiatives to promote active ageing. 

3.2.1.  Policies to promote active ageing in employment 

The elements for a comprehensive strategy to promote the employment of older workers have 
been  defined,  and  are  being  monitored,  within  the  European  Employment  Strategy  and  the 
Lisbon  Strategy.  They  include  notably  the  improvement  of  working  conditions  and  their 
adaptation to the health status and needs of older workers, better access to training and life-
long  learning,  better  access  to  information  and  communication  technologies  (ICT)  and  the 
review of tax-benefit systems to ensure that there are sufficient rewards for working longer.  

Through  the  open  method  of  coordination  on  social  protection  and  social  inclusion,  the  EU 
supports,  monitors  and  assesses  the  implementation  and  impact  of  national  reforms  of 
retirement pensions and to ensure the long-term sustainability of pension systems. Prolonging 
working lives by providing effective incentives for later retirement is an important policy to 
unlock  the  potential  for  increased  employment.  Pension  reforms  in  the  majority  of  Member 
States are already rising the labour market exit age, but much can still be achieved in this area. 
This concerns not only pension schemes, but also early retirement and social security schemes 
(disability, unemployment, sickness) that are sometimes used as an exit route from the labour 
market. 

Within  the  European  Social  Fund  (ESF)  1.01  billion  euro  are  being  devoted  to  measures  to 
promote active ageing and a longer working life for the programming period 2007-13. Older 
workers can also benefit from active labour market measures which represent 15.3 % of ESF 
resources. 

In  addition,  activities  promoting  active  ageing  are  receiving  funding  under  the  Community 
programme for employment and social solidarity – PROGRESS21. PROGRESS’ mission is to 
strengthen the EU contribution supporting Member States' commitments and efforts to create 

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idem. 
Decision of the European Parliament and Council of 24 October 2006 on a Community programme for 
employment and social solidarity – PROGRESS, OJ, L 315 of 15 November 2006. 

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more and better jobs and to build a more cohesive society. It supports the development of EU 
policies  in  the  following  areas:  employment,  working  conditions,  gender  equality,  social 
protection and social inclusion, non-discrimination and diversity. Priorities for funding under 
the  PROGRESS  programme  are  defined  at  the  beginning  of  each  year.  Financial  support  is 
then awarded on the basis of calls for tender and calls for proposals. Gender mainstreaming is 
an integral part of these processes. 

3.2.2.  Active ageing through volunteering  

The  Grundtvig  programme  for  adult  education  can  finance  projects  supporting  senior 
volunteering. The European Union decided to designate 2011 as European Year of Voluntary 
Activities Promoting Active Citizenship22, which will also aim to promote voluntary work of 
older people.  

3.2.3.  Healthy ageing 

Supporting  healthy  ageing  means  both  promoting  health  throughout  the  lifespan,  aiming  to 
prevent health  problems and disabilities from an early age, and tackling inequities in health 
linked to social, economic and environmental factors. The European Union supports healthy 
ageing  through  its  health  strategy  and  through  the  open  method  of  coordination  on  social 
protection and social inclusion. The 7th Framework Programme for research and development 
is  devoting  6.5  billion  euro  to  improving  health  over  the  life  cycle  and,  in  particular,  to 
resolving the specific health problems of older people. The results of research funded under 
this  programme  are  expected  to  contribute  to  a  better  prevention  of  physical  and  mental 
impairment.  Funding  is  also  devoted  to  ICT  solutions  promoting  independent  living  and 
mobility of older persons.  

3.2.4.  Age discrimination 

The  EU  has  established  a  general  framework  for  equal  treatment  in  employment  and 
occupation23  (Council  Directive  2000/78/EC  of  27  November  2000)  which  also  prohibits 
discrimination on the ground of age. The recent Commission proposal for a directive on equal 
treatment  between  persons  irrespective  of  religion  or  belief,  disability,  age  or  sexual 
orientation could potentially contribute to better accessibility of goods and services for older 
people24.  

3.2.5. 

Infrastructure and autonomous living 

Homes  and  local  environment,  including  public  transport,  can  be  adapted  and  goods  and 
services  can  be  made  more  accessible  so  that  older  people  with  health  impairments  can 
continue to live in their own home as well as to maintain social contacts and activities.  

The  Commission's  Disability  Action  plan  2008-2009  (COM  (2007)  738)  has  defined 
accessibility  for  all  to  goods  and  services  as  a  priority25.  The  Commission  has  issued  two 
standardisation  mandates  to  the  European  standardisation  organisation  in  order  to  develop 

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Council  Decision  of  27 November  2009  on  the  European  Year  of  Voluntary  Activities  Promoting 
Active Citizenship (2011), OJ, L 017 of 22 January 2010 
Council  Directive  of  27  November  2000  establishing  a  general  framework  for  equal  treatment  in 
employment and occupation, OJ, L 303 of 02 December 2000. 
COM(2008) 426 of 2 July 2008. 
COM (2007) 738, 26. November 2007 

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accessibility  standards  for  information  and  communication  technologies  and  the  built 
environment to be used in public procurement procedures. 

Furthermore the EU and all the Member States have signed the UN Convention on the Rights 
of  Persons  with  Disabilities.  The  Convention  contains  very  relevant  obligations  for  state 
parties  in  order  for  persons  with  disabilities  to  enjoy  all  human  rights  and  fundamental 
freedoms. The Convention relevance for older person is evident given the correlation between 
disability and ageing. 

The  European  Regional  Development  Fund  (ERDF)  has  provided  support  and  an  arena  to 
effectively  understand  and  respond  to  demographic  challenges.  In  particular,  the  ERDF  has 
addressed26 infrastructure problems caused by population ageing in the framework of active 
ageing policies (e.g. lifelong learning infrastructure, health infrastructure, ICT infrastructure), 
education infrastructures (schools at all levels, Universities or e-learning for all ages) in the 
framework of human capital enhancement, infrastructure for the provision of key services in 
demographic declining areas or the restructuring of social service facilities and care services 
for older people. 

Following  a  public  consultation  the  Commission  adopted  the  "Action  Plan  on  urban 
mobility"27. The Action Plan proposes twenty measures to encourage and help local, regional 
and  national  authorities  achieve  their  goals  for  sustainable  urban  mobility.  It  also  addresses 
the issue of accessibility for disabled people. With the Action Plan, the European Commission 
is presenting for the first time a comprehensive support package in the field of urban mobility. 
The actions are being launched over the four years following the Action Plan's adoption. The 
European Commission will conduct a review of the implementation of the Action Plan in the 
year 2012, and will assess the need for further action. 

In 2008 older people represented 20% of road fatalities (40% as pedestrians). The ageing of 
the population is putting an urgent emphasis on the need to assess the vulnerability of older 
and  disabled  people  in  traffic.  Knowledge  is  still  very  limited  in  this  field  and  focused 
research  efforts  are  needed  to  establish  on  medical  criteria  for  the  assessment  of  fitness-to-
drive. 

The Commission adopted a Communication on "Ageing Well in the Information Society"28, 
which  presents  an  action  plan  to  accelerate  the  introduction  of  new  technology-based 
solutions for ageing well at home, in the community and at work. The EU supports also the 
Ambient Assisted Living joint research and development programme undertaken by a group 
of  Member  States29.The  action  plan  and  research  programme  will  enable  a  better  quality  of 

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28 
29 

“The ERDF intervention areas assessed as relevant (mostly in an indirect way) to the issues at stake 
were carried out in all the case studies. Indicatively, the analysed ERDF measures indirectly 
addressing demographic issues account for 23% of the total ERDF budget in the selected regions”. See 
“Ex post evaluation of cohesion policy programmes 2000-2006 co-financed by the European Fund for 
Regional Development (Objectives 1 and 2): Work package 7: “Effectiveness of the Cohesion Policy: 
Gender Equality and Demographic Change”. 
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docgener/evaluation/expost2006/wp7_en.htm 
COM (2009) 490, 30 September 2009 
COM (2007 332,  
Decision of the European Parliament and the Council of 9 July 2008 on the Community’s participation 
in  a  research  and  development  programme  undertaken  by  several  Member  States  aimed  at  enhancing 
the quality of life of older people through the use of new information and communication technologies, 
OJ, L 201 of 30 July 2008. 

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life  for  elderly  people,  make  significant  cost-savings  in  health  and  social  care  possible,  and 
create a strong industrial basis for ICT and ageing in Europe. 

3.3. 

Need for further action 

Europe's best chance for coping with the challenges of population ageing lies in not wasting 
the  potential  of  these  baby-boom  generations,  which  will  require  the  promotion  of  active 
ageing. Related policy responses generally fall within the responsibility of the Member States, 
which are stepping up their efforts to mobilise the potential of older persons. However, during 
the  public  consultation,  responses  received  from  Member  State  national  authorities  were 
overwhelmingly supportive of the idea of action at European level. Respondents appreciated 
that  the  European  Union  can  support  their  endeavours  by  creating  a  more  supportive 
environment  through  increased  awareness  among  policy  makers  and  the  general  public, 
helping to mobilise policy makers and stakeholders at all levels, supporting mutual learning 
across Europe, monitoring progress, and helping to define common objectives and targets.  

While current initiatives at EU level have been described above, more needs to be done given 
the  magnitude  of  the  challenge.  Current  activities  at  EU  level  seem  inappropriate  to 
comprehensively  respond  to  the  following  gaps  identified  in  section  3.1:  (1)  to  raise 
awareness  of  the  general  public,  policy  makers  and  other  stakeholders  of  the  importance  of 
active ageing and of the need to better mobilise the potential of the baby boom cohorts; (2) to 
foster exchange of information and experience between Member States and stakeholders; (3) 
to  give  Member  States  and  stakeholders  an  opportunity  to  develop  policies  further  through 
specific activities and by committing to specific objectives.  

In order to gain political momentum for active ageing policies, broad-based  support will be 
required at all levels of society and from a wide range of stakeholders. The key challenge to 
be  overcome  is  to  mobilise  stakeholders  in  a  way  that  will  generate  significant  action  at 
national, regional, local levels across the EU. Developing a framework within which action at 
different  levels  will  be  developed  would  be  a  useful  step,  in  order  to  increase  consistency 
between  actions  currently  taking  place  at  EU-level  as  well  as  to  enhance  opportunities  for 
mutual  learning  between  actors  at  national,  regional,  local  and  company  level.  With  greater 
political momentum and visibility for active ageing policies, policy makers can be encouraged 
to take more ambitious initiatives.  

A European Year for active ageing could provide an appropriate framework for action to be 
taken at local, regional and national level as  well as for  transnational projects. It  could  also 
provide  the  political  momentum  and  visibility  needed  to  promote  active  ageing  policies, 
especially those to develop the potential of the baby boom cohorts.  

3.4. 

Public consultation 

In its commitment to an inclusive approach in developing and implementing EU policies, the 
Commission consults as widely as possible on major policy initiatives. To this end, it asked 
for  the  views  of  relevant  stakeholders  on  the  theme  of  active  ageing  and  intergenerational 
solidarity as well as on the orientation of a possible European Year, in order to obtain input 
for its formal proposal, to enhance transparency and to promote early coordination.  

Early consultation was in the form of an online questionnaire which gave  public  authorities 
from Member States, social partners, NGOs, as well as other interested parties and experts the 
opportunity to express their views. It was available on the web page “Your Voice in Europe”, 
the  European  Commission’s  single  access  point  to  a  wide  variety  of  consultations,  for  over 

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two  months  from  June  to  July  2009.  The  questionnaire  focussed  on  the  following  themes: 
threats  and  opportunities  of  ageing  in  relation  to  intergenerational  solidarity,  recommended 
policy  measures,  the  specific  role  of  the  EU  in  promoting  the  right  policy  responses,  topics 
and activities for a European Year, and the involvement of stakeholders.  

132 responses from key stakeholders involved at European national and regional level were 
received.  The  results  provided  valuable  input  for  the  preparation  of  this  ex-ante  evaluation 
and  for  the  draft  Decision  to  be  adopted,  and  some  are  also  included  here.  DG  EMPL  will 
publish a summary analysis of the contributions received on its Europa website30. About half 
of  the  responses  were  from  civil  society  organisations,  with  public  authorities  making  up 
another  quarter  of  the  responses  (the  breakdown  by  type  of  respondent  and  by  region  is 
presented in the annex). This unbalanced distribution of stakeholder type reduces the interest 
of analysing whether responses differed by category of stakeholder. 

Generally, respondents, including many of those from civil society organizations and public 
authorities,  agreed  that  the  contributions  of  older  people  to  family  and  community  life 
deserved  to  be  recognized,  supported  and  further  developed,  as  part  of  policies  of  active 
ageing  and  intergenerational  solidarity.  The  importance  of  developing  volunteering  and 
extending working lives in this age group was also accepted. Obstacles to developing active 
ageing  policies  were  mentioned  by  some  respondents.  Resistance  to  change  was  seen  to  be 
linked to a lack of awareness among the public and policy makers of the importance of the 
problem, persisting negative stereotypes of elderly people and fiscal pressures. One particular 
difficulty is that active ageing is a long-term cross-cutting issue that requires the cooperation 
of many partners. 

Most respondents, representing a wide range of types of stakeholders, supported increased EU 
activity in this area in order to increase the visibility of the challenge and to support national 
and  local  activities.  They  called  on  the  EU  to  develop  its  role  in  helping  to  coordinate  and 
mobilise stakeholders, as well as to encourage research on the identification of good practices. 
Respondents noted the wide diversity of the EU’s current projects in the area of active ageing 
and  intergenerational  solidarity,  requesting  that  these  programmes  be  more  closely 
coordinated in order to increase the visibility of the results of these projects and to encourage 
networking between local and regional actors.  

Contributors  generally  considered  a  European  Year  on  the  theme  of  active  ageing  and 
intergenerational solidarity  an appropriate policy instrument. They appreciated that it would 
raise awareness of those key themes which would be touched upon by the year, placing them 
more firmly on political and public policy agendas; it would provide recognition and support 
for those already working on these topics; it would support the sharing of good practice, and 
that  it  would  generate  innovative  approaches  as  well  as  new  synergies  between  existing 
actors. More than once, respondents stated their desire for a European Year to leave a long-
term  legacy,  in  part  by  generating  long-lasting  initiatives.  Respondents  of  all  types  (civil 
society organizations, public authorities, social partners, etc) showed a great willingness to be 
involved  in  a  European  Year,  indicating  activities  they  were  planning  to  hold  which  could 
feed into such a year as well as proposing additional projects.  

Responses underlined the importance for the European Union to provide a coordinating role 
for  information  pertaining  to  the  European  Year,  both  in  terms  of  generating  information 

30 

http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=699&langId=en&consultId=1&visib=0&furtherConsult=yes 

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campaigns and in centralising information produced during the year. Out of some responses to 
the public consultation from a variety of different types of stakeholders came the idea of the 
development, at EU-level, of an online interactive portal, which would detail all the initiatives 
held at local, national and EU level as part of the proposed European Year. While supporting 
an EU-wide information campaign, stakeholders frequently affirmed the role of the European 
Year in supporting a flowering of local and regional initiatives. 

3.5. 

Previous evaluation results 

Five  evaluation  exercises  for  European  Years  implemented  by  DG  EMPL  have  been  taken 
into  account:  the  1993  European  Year  for  Older  People,  the  1997  European  Year  against 
Racism,  the  2003  European  Year  of  People  with  Disabilities,  the  2006  European  Year  of 
Workers’  Mobility  and  the  2007  European  Year  on  Equal  Opportunities  for  All.  The 
Commission also looked at the evaluation report of the 1999 United Nations Year for Older 
People.  

In addition, the expertise of Commission officials responsible for the organisation of the on-
going  2010  European  Year  on  Social  Exclusion  and  Poverty  and  the  forthcoming  2011 
European Year of Voluntary Activities Promoting Active Citizenship was utilized. 

According to previous evaluations European Years have the following potentials. They: 

•  can raise general awareness on a specific theme or of a problem; 

•  can  serve  as  an  effective  tool  for  enlarging  awareness  to  more  stakeholders  and  are 
effective  in  promoting  mutual  learning  between  organisations.  They  are  designed  to 
involve  a  range  of  stakeholders  in  publicising,  debating  and  exchanging  views  and 
experience on a specific theme, and therefore in creating multiplier effects;  

•  can  be  an  effective  instrument  for  creating  political  momentum  and  for  putting  political 
issues on EU agenda. The broad level of participation that can be achieved within a limited 
timeframe has helped to harness political support, to trigger media interest, to pave the way 
for broader political commitments and to contribute to policy change; 

•  can  be  effective  instruments  for  strengthening  the  visibility  of  existing  activities  and  for 
creating  synergies  between  various  areas  of  intervention  and  at  different  (EU,  Member 
State and regional/local) levels. 

In  order  to  exploit  fully  this  potential,  evaluation  results  point  to  the  need  to  organise  a 
European Year on the following basis: 

•  by encouraging coordination and co-operation of stakeholders across Europe; 

•  by extending the preparatory phase and set up well in advance the coordination structures 
within the Commission and the Member States. A European Year should be planned on a 
3-year timescale: preparation (1 year); implementation (1 year) and follow-up (1 year); 

•  by  collaborating  closely  with  relevant  stakeholders  at  European,  national,  regional  and 

local levels. 

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4. 

OBJECTIVES  

The overall purpose of this initiative shall be to encourage and support the efforts of Member 
States, their regional and local authorities, social partners and civil society to promote active 
ageing  and  to  better  mobilise  the  potential  of the  of  the  rapidly  growing  population  in  their 
late 50s and above. Active ageing means creating better opportunities and working conditions 
for  the  participation  of  older  workers  in  the  labour  market,  combating  social  exclusion 
through  fostering  active  participation  in  society  and  encouraging  healthy  ageing.  On  this 
basis, the objectives of the initiative should be: 

(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

To raise general awareness of the value of active ageing in order to highlight the useful 
contribution older people make to society and economy, to promote active ageing and 
to better mobilise the potential of older people; 

To  stimulate  a  debate  and  develop  mutual  learning  between  Member  States  and 
stakeholders  at  all  levels  in  order  to  promote  active  ageing  policies,  to  disseminate 
good practice and to encourage cooperation and synergies;  

To  offer  a  framework  for  commitment  and  concrete  action  in  order  to  give  an 
opportunity to Member States and stakeholders at all levels to develop policies further 
through specific activities and to commit to specific objectives related to active ageing. 

5. 

POLICY OPTIONS  

5.1. 

Option 1 - Continue current activities (status quo) 

The first option is to continue with existing activities to promote active ageing. The activities 
described  under  see  3.2  would  continue  to  take  place,  but  there  would  be  no  new  EU 
initiatives.  

5.2. 

Option 2 - Thematic year within the PROGRESS programme 

The  second  option  is  to  launch  a  thematic  year  within  the  PROGRESS  programme  by 
focussing  its  annual  work  programme  on  activities  related  to  active  ageing.  No  formal 
decision of the European Parliament and of the Council would be needed. The Commission 
and  the  PROGRESS  Committee  would  decide  to  finance  under  each  of  the  five  thematic 
strands  of  PROGRESS  some  activities  related  to  active  ageing  (e.g.  conferences,  studies, 
exchanges  of  good  practice).  However,  given  the  restrictions  imposed  by  the  PROGRESS 
decision it could not be presented as a European Year in its traditional form.  

5.3. 

Option 3 – A European Year coordinated and centralised by the Commission  

A European  Year without a specific budget coordinated and centralised by the Commission 
which would bring together activities funded under a broad range of existing EU programmes. 
The  European  Year  of  Creativity  and  Innovation  (2009)  is  an  example  for  this  option.  A 
formal Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council would be needed. 

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5.4. 

Option  4  –  A  European  Year  launching  calls  for  proposals  for  projects  at 
national/regional or local level  

A  European  Year  with  a  specific  budget  which  launches  calls  for  proposals  for  concrete 
projects.  These  calls  would  be  delegated  to  the  Member  States  with  the  Commission  only 
coordinating  the  opening  and  closing  events  for  the  European  Year.  The  European  Year  on 
Equal  Opportunities  gave  priority  to  this  approach.  A  formal  Decision  of  the  European 
Parliament and of the Council would be needed.  

6. 

ASSESSMENT OF THE DIFFERENT POLICY OPTIONS  

This section examines the four options from the perspectives of coherence and added value, 
effectiveness and efficiency. 

"Coherence" implies consistency with other Community Initiatives that are already in place.  

"Added  value"  refers  to  the  extent  to  which  the  policy  contributes  to  strengthening 
Community efforts and stimulating further national efforts in order to achieve the relevant EU 
objectives. 

"Effectiveness" means the extent to which the objectives can be achieved. 

"Efficiency" looks at the relationship between the resources and effort invested in an initiative 
in relation to the (expected) outcomes. In this case, possible risks concerning the feasibility of 
outcomes  are  also  considered  from  the  perspective  of  efficiency,  in  addition  to  that  of 
effectiveness. 

6.1. 

Option 1 - Continue current activities (status quo) 

6.1.1.  Coherence and added value 

The  absence  of  any  new  EU  action  does  not  raise  any  issues  in  terms  of  consistency  with 
other Commission activities. This option would restrict the scope of promoting active ageing 
to  the  policy  areas  and  programmes  already  addressing  this  issue,  not  allowing  for  areas  or 
cross-cutting approaches to be explored. Therefore, this option does not generate any added 
value. 

6.1.2.  Effectiveness  

The absence of any new action contains the risk of not giving adequate attention and political 
visibility  to  the  challenge  of  a  rapid  change  in  the  age  structure  and  not  having  sufficient 
support  to  meet  the  objectives  set  (raising  awareness,  stimulating  debate,  offering  a 
framework  for  commitment  and  concrete  action).  This  option  is  therefore  weak  in  terms  of 
effectiveness. 

6.1.3.  Efficiency 

The “zero” extra cost for this option does not offset the risks highlighted above in terms of the 
failure to achieve the objectives. As "no new action" in this case could imply negative rather 
than neutral outcomes, this option also seems weak in terms of efficiency. 

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6.2. 

Option 2 - Thematic year within PROGRESS programme 

6.2.1.  Coherence and added value 

In a thematic year within the PROGRESS programme, comprising activities coordinated and 
centralised at EU level, the Commission would be able to ensure consistency with other EU 
initiatives  and  programmes  that  are  directly  or  indirectly  linked  to  PROGRESS.  A  thematic 
year  would  contribute  to  the  mainstreaming  of  active  ageing  in  the  different  policy  areas 
covered  by  PROGRESS.  However,  this  option  risks  limiting  the  scope  of  promoting  active 
ageing  to  those  areas  covered  by  PROGRESS.  Hence  the  added  value  of  this  option  is 
somewhat limited. 

6.2.2.  Effectiveness  

The  objectives  set  out  above  are  broadly  in line  with  the  general objectives  of  PROGRESS 
and could therefore be achieved under this option. However, this option would probably not 
ensure  the  visibility  that  previous  European  Years  have  managed  to  produce  as  stand-alone 
initiatives,  by  also  obtaining  the  formal  commitment  of  the  European  Parliament  and  the 
Council  due  to  their  involvement  in  the  preparation  of  each  European  Year  through  the 
process  for  a  formal  decision.  This  option  could  therefore  fail  to  create  much  political 
momentum and could have limited effectiveness.  

6.2.3.  Efficiency 

The  Commission  would  use  the  possibilities  offered  by  an  existing  programme  without 
having  to  create  a  new  instrument  requiring  the  agreement  of  Council  and  Parliament.  No 
extra  financial  or  human  resources  would  be  necessary.  This  option  would  ensure  good 
coordination  at  EU  level,  in  both  administrative  and  financial  terms  as  well  as  on  content. 
However, there is a risk of wasting valuable time in  the preparation of an option that could 
eventually meet political opposition, on the basis of arguments in relation to the legal basis of 
PROGRESS  which  stipulates  that  the  programme  shall  not  finance  any  measures  for  the 
preparation  and  implementation  of  European  Years.  A  thematic  year  might  be  seen  as 
European Year type initiative.  

6.3. 

Option  3  –  A  European  Year  without  a  specific  budget  coordinated  and 
centralised by the Commission  

6.3.1.  Coherence and added value 

In a European Year with activities coordinated and centralised at EU level, the Commission 
would  be  better  able  to  ensure  consistency  between  the  activities  of  a  European  Year  and 
those of other EU initiatives and programmes. This option would ensure that the promotion of 
active  ageing  is  mainstreamed  in  the  relevant  policy  areas  covered  by  other  Community 
programmes. Significant added value can therefore be expected. 

6.3.2.  Effectiveness  

This option has the potential to achieve all of the objectives. The degree of effectiveness will 
ultimately  depend  on  the  synergies  created  with  other  existing  activities  and  programmes 
relevant for active ageing. Overall, this option can be expected to be quite effective.  

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6.3.3.  Efficiency 

The Commission could use funding from existing programmes which cover issues related to 
active ageing. No extra financial or human resources would be required. Any costs or human 
resources  needs  related  to  the  coordination  of  activities  would  be  covered  under  existing 
budget lines and with existing human resources. The Commission would not have to mobilise 
financial resources from the reserve.  

This option would ensure good coordination at EU level, both in administrative and financial 
terms as well as on content.  

Although this option could be challenged by political lobbying from stakeholders arguing that 
the  majority  of  previous  European  Years  had  a  specific  budget,  the  European  Year  of 
Creativity and Innovation (2009) has set a good precedence.  

Overall, the efficiency of this option can be considered high. 

6.4. 

Option  4  –  A  European  Year  launching  calls  for  proposals  for  projects  at 
national/regional or local level  

6.4.1.  Coherence and added value 

While the substantial differences among Member States offer strong arguments in favour of 
decentralised  actions  for  a  European  Year,  launching  calls  in  a  field  where  various 
programmes  could  intervene  entails  significant  risk  for  inconsistencies  and  duplication  of 
efforts. . Although this option would provide some added value at national, regional and local 
level, this would not always be guaranteed due to the risks mentioned above. 

6.4.2.  Effectiveness  

This option has the potential to achieve all of  the objectives,  provided that the Commission 
offers  strategic  guidance  to  Member  States  on  implementation  However,  it  could  prove 
difficult to find the budgetary means required for this option. 

6.4.3.  Efficiency 

The efficiency of this approach in terms of “working on the ground” would be hampered by 
the lack of a link between different actions and different levels of intervention. Activities risk 
being  isolated  and  disconnected  from  one  another  with  possible  inconsistencies  and 
duplication  of  efforts  It  would  be  very  difficult  and,  if  attempted,  extremely  costly,  for  the 
Commission  to  monitor  closely  national  efforts  in  order  to  ensure  coherence  and  avoid 
duplication.  The  cost  of  managing  specific  calls  for  proposals  for  Member  States  can  be 
expected  to  be  relatively  high.  The  number  of  projects  likely  to  be  proposed  would  be 
disproportionate  in  relation  to  the  budgetary  resources  available,  which  could  lead  to  the 
rejection of many good proposals and the disappointment of stakeholders.  

Overall, this option seems to be problematic in terms of efficiency. 

6.5. 

Comparing the options 

All four options could help to achieve the objectives to different degrees. However, options 1 
and 2 are expected to have limited effectiveness and no or very limited added value. They are 

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also  very  weak  in  terms  of  efficiency.  Option  4  can  be  effective  and  has  the  potential  to 
involve national, regional and local stakeholders which would ensure visibility at these levels. 
Although  it  is  expected  to  generate  some  added  value  at  this  level,  there  are  also  important 
risks in terms of coherence and duplication of efforts that can weaken the added value aspect. 
This  option  also  rates  poorly  on  efficiency.  Option  3  has  the  strongest  potential  from  the 
perspectives  of  coherence  and  added  value,  effectiveness  and  efficiency.  This  option,  “a 
European Year without a specific budget coordinated and centralised by the Commission” is 
therefore the preferred option. 

7. 

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PREFERRED OPTION 

The designation of a European Year requires a Decision of the European Parliament and the 
Council.  

7.1. 

Architecture of the European Year 

The purpose of a European Year would go beyond awareness-raising. It should be seen as the 
highlight of a major effort spanning the period 2011-2014 during which the EU would focus 
many of its existing programmes and policies on the issue of active ageing and put in place a 
framework  in  which  new  initiatives  and  partnerships  supporting  active  ageing  at  all  levels 
(Member  State,  regional,  local,  social  partners,  civil  society)  can  be  encouraged  and 
publicised.  

In 2011, public authorities, social partners and civil society organisations at all levels would 
be encouraged to commit to achieving specific goals related to active ageing; the focus would 
be on achievements during the European Year. The goals are to be documented on a European 
website which would then become the website for the European Year.  

In 2012, the focus of the European Year would be on implementing the commitments taken 
during  2011  and  publicising  these  initiatives  through  media  activities.  Results  of  projects 
related to active ageing and being funded under existing budget lines and programmes would 
be presented. 

7.2.  Mobilising Member States and Stakeholders 

The  European  Year  would  mobilise  stakeholders  at  all  levels,  including  local  and  regional 
authorities, the social partners and civil society organisations.  

Member  States  would  set  up  a  national  coordinator  and  national  'active  ageing  councils' 
including  personalities  that  enjoy  wide  popularity  and  can  act  as  ambassadors  for  the 
European Year. The national coordinators could also ensure the coordination at national level 
of activities relating to the Year.  

The Commission envisages the possibility of convening meetings of the national coordinators 
in  order  to  coordinate  at  European  level  the  implementation  of  the  Year  and  to  exchange 
information regarding the activities at national level. 

The  Commission  would  establish  an  advisory  group  composed  of  a  broad  range  of 
stakeholders,  in  particular  of  civil  society  organisations,  social  partners  and  networks  of 
European regions and cities, which would advise the Commission on the implementation of 
the European Year.  

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7.3. 

Building on existing community programmes 

The  European  Union  has  already  taken  various  initiatives  to  promote  active  ageing.  These 
activities should benefit from an enhanced visibility in the context of the European Year.  

Many  of  the  existing  policies  and  instruments  can  be  geared  towards  the  goals  of  the 
Demography Pact and the European Year. To this end, the Commission would bring together 
the different services working on issues related to active ageing.  

The following budget lines and programmes could potentially be utilised: 

DG EMPL 

Autonomous budget lines 

•  04.03.07 Analysis of and studies on the social situation, demographics and the family (E1) 

•  04.03.03.01 Industrial relations and social dialogue  

•  04.03.03.02 Information and training measures for workers' organisations  

ESF  

An  immediate  priority  will  be  to  promote  active  ageing  in  the  form  of  higher  employment 
rates  of  older  workers.  This  is  eligible  for  support  from  the  European  Social  Fund  which 
could play a major role in helping regional and local stakeholders pursue ambitious goals with 
regard to active ageing. 

PROGRESS 

It is proposed to boost the effectiveness of PROGRESS activities related to the challenges of 
ageing  through  the  European  Year.  Active  ageing  is  being  promoted  to  a  different  extend 
under  all  strands  of  the  PROGRESS  (employment,  social  protection  and  inclusion,  working 
conditions, non-discrimination, gender equality). 

DG EAC 

•  Grundtvig programme for adult education 

•  European Year of Voluntary Activities Promoting Active Citizenship (2011) 

DG SANCO 

•  Health programme  

DG INFSO 

•  Information  and  Communication  Technologies  Policy  Support  Programme  under  the 

Competitiveness and Innovation Programme  

•  European Action Plan for "Ageing Well in the Information Society" 

DG REGIO – European Regional Development Fund 

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•  Lifelong learning infrastructure 

•  Infrastructure for information and communication technologies 

•  Education  infrastructures  (schools  at  all  levels,  Universities  or  e-learning  for  all  ages)  in 

the framework of human capital enhancement 

•  Infrastructure  for  the  provision  of  key  services  in  demographic  decline  areas  or  the 

restructuring of social service facilities and care services for older people 

DG MOVE 

•  Action Plan on urban mobility 

•  Protection of vulnerable road users including older people and people with disabilities 

•  Passenger rights of travelling persons with disabilities and reduced mobiity 

DG RTD 

•  7th Framework Programme for research and development 

AGENCIES 

Various agencies can be involved in the Demography Pact and the European Year: 

•  The Dublin Foundation for Living and Working Conditions 

•  CEDEFOP  

•  European Agency for Safety and Health at Work  

7.4. 

Type of measures 

Measures to be taken shall include the following activities at European, national, regional or 
local level linked to the objectives and themes of the European Year of Active Ageing:  

–  conferences,  events  and  initiatives  to  promote  debate  and  raise  awareness  of  the 

importance of active ageing; 

–  information, promotion and educational campaigns; 

–  exchange of information, experience and good practices; 

–  undertaking  of  research  and  surveys  on  a  Community  or  national  scale  as  well  as 

dissemination of results. 

In all these activities due attention will be paid to gender equality issues.  

In  addition,  policy  makers  and  stakeholders  at  all  levels  will  be  invited  to  present  their 
initiatives as contributions to the goals of the European Year. The Commission or the Member 
States  may  permit  the  use  of  the  name  of  the  European  Year  in  promoting  those  activities 
insofar as they contribute to achieving the objectives of the European Year. 

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8. 

ADDED  VALUE  OF  EU  INVOLVEMENT  AND  OF  THE  PREFERRED 
OPTION 

The preferred option would benefit from the added value provided by EU involvement, for the 
objectives set out in this document could not be achieved only by action at national, regional 
and  local  levels.  This  is  because  action  solely  at  these  levels  would  not  benefit  from  the 
advantage of a common EU framework, nor from exchanges of experience and good practice 
between  Member  States  aiming  to  promote  active  ageing.  Coordination  at  EU  level  will 
enhance the impact of action within Member States by encouraging transnational exchange of 
ideas and good practices and increasing the visibility of national initiatives. Programmes can 
generate  added  value  in  one  or  more  different  ways:  through  volume  effects,  scope  effects, 
role effects and process effects.  

The European Year would generate added value: 

In  terms  of  volume  effects,  by  stimulating  further  national  action  through  the  activities 
organised under the European Year. This could include a greater number of debates as well as 
more activities for the exchange of good practices than would otherwise have taken place in 
Member States or at European level. 

In  terms  of  scope  effects,  by  mainstreaming  the  policy  objectives  for  active  ageing  in  all 
relevant policy areas and programmes, especially where such considerations were not present 
before. In other words, the European Year could broaden existing actions or policy areas to 
address  an  ageing  population  (e.g.  the  55+  age-group  as  well  as  specific  sub-groups  within 
this group) that would not have been otherwise addressed.  

In  terms  of  role  effects,  by  influencing  the  way  policy  is  developed  in  different  areas 
pertaining  to  active  ageing.  The  European  Year  could  promote  innovation  and  transfer  of 
good  practices  from  other  policy  areas  or  contexts  of  implementation  in  order  to  better 
address the needs the ageing population. 

In terms of process effects, by improving the administration of programmes by Member States 
and  other  actors  through  capacity  building.  This  may  change  the  way  new  procedures  are 
developed, revised and how policies are implemented in the future.  

9. 

MONITORING AND EVALUATION 

The design of the monitoring framework will mainly be the responsibility of the Commission 
in  consultation  with  the  Member  States.  A  common  monitoring  template  and  specific 
guidance  on  monitoring  will  be  developed  with  the  Member  States  during  2011,  the  year 
preceding the launch of the European Year. The aim will be to ensure that Member States will 
collect information in a systematic way using the same approach, so as to have  comparable 
EU-wide information that can be used in an evaluation exercise, to enable the identification of 
results and impacts of the year as well as drawing lessons for future initiatives. 

An  external  evaluation  exercise  will  be  launched  in  2012  in  order  to  assess  the 
implementation of the Year in terms of effectiveness and efficiency, to assess its results and 
impacts, draw conclusions on its added value, draw lessons and provide recommendations for 
action within existing policy frameworks of action and for future initiatives. Preliminary work 
on  the  evaluation  methodology  will  be  carried  out  during  the  preparatory  year,  more 
specifically  on  defining  the  indicators  that  should  be  used  in  the  evaluation  exercise  for 

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assessing the achievement of the three key objectives of the European Year. These indicators 
will  be  defined  in  line  with  the  proposition  in  the  table  below.  Moreover,  the  website 
documenting  the  commitments  related  to  active  ageing  made  by  public  authorities,  social 
partners  and  civil  society  organisations  could  also  be  used  in  the  evaluation  exercise. 
Throughout  the  preparation  for  the  year  as  well  as  during  the  year  itself,  the  website  could 
serve  as  a  communication  platform  with  stakeholders,  enabling  them  to  participate  in  those 
surveys necessary for interim and final reporting.  

The final evaluation results should be available by end of 2013. This arrangement will allow 
the Commission to report to the EU institutions by mid-2014 on the results achieved. The task 
of this report to EU institutions will be to assess the results achieved by the European Year of 
Active Ageing in the light of its objectives. 

The  objectives  of  the  European  Year  will  be  monitored  by  specific  indicators  that  will  be 
developed with the help of evaluation experts and formally agreed on during the preparatory 
year: 

Objective 

Proposed monitoring 
tools / methodology 

Proposed types of 
monitoring indicators 

 2-3 qualitative indicators 
measuring change in 
attitudes towards active 
ageing and older people, 
that could be attributed to 
the European Year  

A qualitative indicator 
reflecting the level of media 
coverage for the European 
Year (e.g. limited, 
moderate, high) using 
specific definitions 

2-3 qualitative indicators 
expressing change in levels 
of mobilisation of key 
stakeholder groups that can 
be directly attributed to the 
EY (e.g. no change, limited, 
moderate, significant;) 
using specific definitions 

To raise general awareness of the 
value of active ageing in order to 
highlight the useful contribution 
older persons make to society and 
economy, to promote active ageing 
and to better mobilise the potential 
of older people 

In-depth interviews 
and focus groups 
with stakeholders 

Monitoring of media 
coverage 

To stimulate a debate and 
developing mutual learning 
between Member States and 
stakeholders at all levels in order to 
promote active ageing policies, to 
disseminate good practice and to 
encourage cooperation and 
synergies. 

Establishment of a 
comprehensive 
European website 
where stakeholders 
at all levels can 
publicise their 
initiatives; 
establishment of a 
typology of 
initiatives and a 
common 
presentation 
facilitating 
comparisons. 
Analysis of the 
information on the 
website: collection 

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To offer a framework for 
commitment and concrete action in 
order to giving an opportunity to 
Member States and stakeholders at 
all levels to develop policies 
further through specific activities 
and to commit to specific 
objectives related to active ageing. 

of information on 
number of Member 
States, regions, 
cities that have put 
in place various 
types of measures to 
promote active 
ageing 

In-depth interviews 
with main 
stakeholders  

Website structured 
to offer each MS, 
region and major 
city a place to 
present their 
measures related to 
active ageing. 
Analysis of the 
information on the 
website: collection 
of information on 
number of MS, 
regions, cities that 
have put in place 
various types of 
measures to promote 
active ageing 

In-depth interviews 
with main 
stakeholders  

2-3 qualitative indicators 
expressing the impact of the 
European Year on 
institutions and/or policy, in 
terms of setting a 
sustainable framework for 
commitment and action 
(e.g. no impact, limited, 
moderate, high), on the 
basis of specific definitions 

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10. 

ANNEX 

The European Commission received 132 responses to the public consultation. In Table 1, the 
responses  are  itemized  by  type  of  stakeholder,  whether  public  authorities,  industry  and 
professional  associations,  trade  unions,  etc.  Nearly  half  of  the  responses  to  the  consultation 
came  from  civil  society  organisations.  Graph  1  shows  the  locations  of  the  stakeholders: 
contributions  were  received  from  stakeholders  in  14  Member  States  as  well  as  from 
representative bodies at EU and international level. 

Table 1: Contributions received by stakeholder category 

Stakeholder category 

Public authorities (local, national) & other publicly funded 
agencies 

Industry & professional associations 

Trade unions 

Civil society organisations 

Academic & think tanks 

Individuals 

All 

Number of 
replies 

Percentage

32 

15 

2 

63 

12 

8 

24%

11%

2%

48%

9%

6%

132 

100%

Graph 1: Contributions received by country and region 

International; 6

Austria; 6

Belgium; 20

EU-wide; 37

USA; 1

Switzerland; 1

Czech Republic; 2

Finland; 1

France; 7

Germany; 18

UK; 13

Sweden; 2

Spain; 4

Portugal; 3

Greece; 3

Ireland; 1

Italy; 3

The Netherlands; 
4

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