REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Final evaluation of the Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme
Date: 2013-12-18
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, Framework Programme for Research and Development, financial aid, new technology, population ageing, project evaluation













EUR-Lex - 52013DC0898 - EN











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52013DC0898

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Final evaluation of the Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme /* COM/2013/0898 final */









REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL
Final evaluation of the Ambient Assisted
Living Joint Programme
1.           Introduction
The European Union has recognised that
information and communication technologies (ICT) are key to addressing the
challenges and opportunities presented by an ageing population. In particular,
the European Commission addressed this in its Communication Ageing Well in
the Information Society (2007)[1] and has made substantial financial support available
for research, development and innovation in this field. The Commission
reinforced the Union’s commitment to make use of ICT for active and healthy
ageing in its Communication A Digital Agenda for Europe (2010)[2]. The Union’s
participation in the Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme (AAL JP) is a
cornerstone of that commitment.
The AAL JP was set up in 2008 by 20 EU
Member States and three associated countries[3].
The Union decided to match participating states’ support with funding from the
7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7), based
on Article 185 of the EC Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union
(TFEU)[4].
The AAL JP focuses on applied research and
innovation of ICT-based products and services for an ageing population, with a
two-to-three year time-to-market. The principal owners of the programme are the
participating states,
who execute it through an international non-profit AAL
Association (AALA) governed by a General Assembly and supported operationally
by a Central Management Unit. The Commission has observer status in the General
Assembly and a veto right on the annual work programme, and is also a party to the
agreements with the AALA as regards the EU’s financial contribution.
The 2008 decision on the Community’s financial
contribution to the AAL JP provided for a final evaluation of the programme to be
conducted by the end of 2013; this has been carried out by an independent high-level
expert panel chaired by former European Commissioner for Research Philippe
Busquin.
The panel assessed the results achieved and
progress made towards the AAL JP objectives, and issued strategic and
operational follow-up recommendations addressed to the Commission and the Member States.
This report analyses the key recommendations of the panel and proposes action to
be taken by the Commission with other EU institutions and stakeholders, and
through its role in the AAL JP.
2.           Background: the challenge
of demographic ageing
The basic data on Europe’s ageing population
show an imminent and significant change in society and the economy for which
the EU is still not well prepared. A shortage of up to two million jobs in care
and health is projected by 2020 if no action is taken, which would result in 15 %
of necessary work in the general healthcare sector not being covered[5]. The ratio of people
over 65 to working‑age people (aged 15 to 64) will drop from
approximately 1:4 in 2008 to 1:3 in 2020 and 1:2 in 2050, straining
intergenerational solidarity[6].
The rising cost of ageing will have a significant impact on public finances[7], but also on private
wealth. People over 50 have a significant disposable income and pensioners’ incomes
have been rising[8].
On the other hand, disparities are huge, with 19 % of the EU’s elderly at
risk of poverty, a figure that is rising rapidly, especially in the EU-10[9].
The demographic challenge can be tackled only
by a coherent combination of social, economic, health, innovation and digital
policies[10].
Acting today could secure a considerable triple win: 
·        
better quality of life for citizens;
·        
more sustainable care for society; and
·        
new jobs and business thanks to a growing
‘silver economy’.
The transformational nature of ICT allows
for real innovation in the way that care for the elderly is organised, cutting
red tape, making care provision more efficient and more effective, and thus
allowing carers to spend more time with their clients. ICT can also help
improve the working conditions and well-being of informal carers, such as family
members. Lastly, it can contribute to a healthy and active lifestyle for the elderly
by means of health management, adapting workplaces and enabling them to continue
participating actively in the economy and society at large. A growing number of
case studies show that measures in the care sector can lead to efficiency gains
of 10-30 %, higher levels of user satisfaction and annual business growth of
over 10 %[11].
Demographic ageing has been identified in
the Europe 2020 Strategy[12]
as both a challenge and an opportunity for smart, sustainable and inclusive
growth. The Digital Agenda for Europe and Innovation Union[13] flagship initiatives address
it as a priority. The former focuses on ICT-enabled innovative services,
products and processes, and digital solutions and AAL JP activities play an
important role in the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Health
Ageing (EIP‑AHA).
3.           Evaluation process
The final evaluation covers the AAL JP six years
of operation, from 2008 to 2013. In line with the expert panel’s remit, it
assesses:
·        
progress towards the programme’s objectives and
the recommendations from the interim evaluation;
·        
progress towards the programme’s operational
excellence and the effectiveness of the Article 185 approach in this area.
In
addition, it makes recommendations for possible follow-up to the AAL JP under Horizon 2020.
The
panel was composed so as to ensure a good understanding of technology, health
economics and user needs, experience in programme evaluation, and continuity
with the panel in charge of the interim evaluation.
The
panel’s findings were based on analysis of extensive background documentation,
including the interim evaluation report, case studies, statistical information
about the AAL JP and some 20 interviews with stakeholders. The evaluation was
conducted between May 2013 and September 2013, and the final report[14] was issued in October
2013.
The
evaluation ran in parallel with the drafting of the Commission proposal on
follow-up to the AAL JP with financial support from Horizon 2020 and the
preliminary findings were used in the preparation of the final proposal.
4.           Evaluation results and
recommendations
The final evaluation report confirms the high
added value and major achievements of the AAL JP. In particular, the panel
concludes that: 
(1)          the AAL JP has made good
progress towards its objectives and responded well to the recommendations in
the Kuneva Panel’s interim evaluation in 2010;
(2)          the growing importance of
demographic ageing, which is a shared and urgent challenge across Europe, clearly justifies the existence of the AAL JP;
(3)          the AAL JP operates as a
coherent framework delivering clear added value for Europe;
(4)          associated research,
development and innovation activity is reaching critical mass;
(5)          activities aimed at
improving conditions for industrial exploitation have expanded significantly
since the interim evaluation;
(6)          the programme is well
managed and has well-functioning governance arrangements; and
(7)          progress under the programme
is encouraging, although large-scale social and economic impacts have yet to
emerge.
The panel further acknowledged some
important achievements and early results considered to be promising indicators of
high overall impact, including:
·        
good participation by SMEs (over 40 %);
·        
estimated own investment of over € 325 million
from industry participants (predominantly SMEs), leveraged by joint investment of € 150 million
from the EU and € 220 million from the participating countries;
·        
the launch of some 130 projects so far, with good
end-user involvement;
·        
the fact that nearly 50 % of the projects under
the first two calls have already secured intellectual property rights in
respect of their results; 25 % have secured financing to market new ICT
products and services, e.g. alarm systems, remote monitoring, robotic
systems, communication tools and game-based training for the elderly;
·        
the existence of a number of commercial products
and services originating directly from the first AAL JP projects; and
·        
the creation of a new innovation ‘ecosystem’,
highlighted by the five AAL forums which have been organised on annual basis
since 2009, with attendance growing from 500 to 1 200, in parallel with
growing numbers of exhibitors, commercial sponsors and active media partners.
The Panel made a number of recommendations
where further improvements would be possible, including issues arising from the
Interim Evaluation, such as further involvement of end-users, more service and
social innovation orientation, further attention to business models and
planning, bettter exchange of lessons learned and reinforcing the role of
Central Management Unit.
The panel also welcomed the Commission’s
proposal for follow-up to the AAL JP under Horizon 2020 and makes
recommendations as regards its launch and implementation for maximising overall
impact. A detailed list of the panel’s recommendations is given in the annex.
The Commission's response to the
recommendations from the Panel is outlined below.
4.1.        General observations
The Commission welcomes the final evaluation report. The
recommendations are based on clear and critical analysis. The Commission will
work with Participating States and other stakeholders to address the
recommendations as set out below.
In particular, the Commission the Commission will undertake actions for
proposing and subsequently implementing the legal framework of the proposed
follow-up Active and Assisted Living Joint Programme.
The Commission acknowledges the value of the partnership with Member
States pursuant to Article 185 TFEU, including the clear commitments taken to ensure
that the AAL JP delivers early promising results. Despite a difficult start in
a ‘green field’ situation, the AAL JP has clearly demonstrated its relevance
and has met or exceeded its initial objectives. A new constituency has been
created, representing the chain of user organisations, industry (with more than
40 % SMEs), service providers, investors and research organisations. Over
130 projects have been funded, representing EU investment of € 150 million,
complemented by strong investment of more than € 220 million from participating
states and leveraging estimated co‑financing of over € 250 million
from programme participants. The participating states’ contribution is
remarkable, as it exceeds their legally required commitment by nearly 50 %.
In operational terms, the AAL JP has improved considerably since the interim
evaluation, although further improvement is possible – and indeed necessary to
keep the programme relevant, in particular for SMEs, who require flexibility in
terms of the content of interventions and contracting/payment deadlines. 
4.2.        Recommendations to the
Member States
The Commission agrees with the panel’s recommendation that efforts
be made to further improve the AAL JP’s
operational performance as a critical success factor now that it is running at ‘cruising
speed’ and has attracted a large group of stakeholders. Procedures and
governance roles should be reviewed critically to identify possible bottlenecks
and areas for streamlining and improvement. In this connection, the Commission
has already requested in its proposal for the AAL JP that participating
states should establish common binding time-to-contract and time-to-payment targets.
The Commission concurs with the recommendations on gearing future calls
for proposals to socio-economic challenges, deploying more agile instruments and
collaborative projects reflecting future market dynamics and developments in
the area covered by the programme.
The Commission has already considered these aspects in the Horizon 2020
context and its AAL JP follow-up proposal includes the option of using
additional instruments such as prizes and innovation grants to enable rapid
intervention where appropriate.
The Commission also agrees with the recommendation that the programme be
further oriented to exploitation and the suggestion that stronger metrics and
systematic follow-up be applied to give a clearer view of project impact to guide
future implementation. Such metrics will be provided for in future agreements
between the Commission and the AALA.
The panel also recommends that, beyond
good quantitative user participation, the quality of participation (by
users and demand‑side actors such as service providers and insurance
companies) should also be improved in the follow-up programme to ensure that it
is spread over a broader geographical area and maintained throughout the
project lifecycle.
The Commission shares this view and has introduced a requirement that participating
states should aim to support participation from user and demand‑side
organisations under national AAL JP funding programmes.
The Commission also agrees with the panel’s recommendation that the
communication and community‑building activities that are such a key asset
of the programme should be further enhanced. This will be reflected in future
support measures and in the AALA’s mandate.
The above recommendations are also addressed in the proposal to extend
the scope of AAL JP2 to active and healthy ageing and the planned (and existing)
close liaison between the AAL and related EIP AHA communities.
4.3.        Recommendations to the
Commission
It is recommended that the Commission help strengthen further the
coherence and synergies between research, innovation and uptake activities relating
to ICT for active and healthy ageing. This is a welcome recommendation and
several steps have already been taken in this direction.
The proposal for the Horizon 2020 research and innovation framework
programme already sees AAL JP2 as complementary to longer‑term R&D
work and innovation pilot projects under Societal Challenge 1 (Health,
Demographic Change and Wellbeing). Under Horizon 2020, the AAL JP will address
market-oriented research and innovation and aim to translate upstream research
results into ICT-based products and services emerging on the market in response
to users’ needs. In turn, it will be complemented by the More Years, Better
Lives joint programming initiative, which will focus on new multi-disciplinary research
on demographic change in response to policy needs.
The Commission will also ensure complementarity with the European
Institute of Technology’s planned knowledge and innovation community on healthy
ageing.
Lastly, the EIP-AHA has established key priorities for innovation and will
address a number of the obstacles to bringing innovative solutions for active
and healthy ageing to the market faster and on the right scale. Strong
synergies will be created with the widening of the scope of AAL JP in line with
that of the EIP-AHA.
5.           Conclusions
The Commission welcomes the AAL JP final evaluation
report, which documents the positive impact of joining EU and participating
states’ forces. Lessons from the report’s findings and recommendations should
lead to the AAL JP follow-up under Horizon 2020 having an even bigger impact and
to more effective synergies among a range of related initiatives at EU and
national levels. All Member States should therefore consider participating in
AAL2 which would enhance European integration in this field even further.
The AAL JP is a good example of the Europe
2020 strategy in action, with ICT and innovation in its widest sense helping Europe tackle a major societal challenge, and at the same time generating significant new
growth opportunities for industry and much‑needed jobs.
The European
Parliament and Council are invited to give their opinion on the report’s
analysis and recommendations, and to support the implementation of the proposed
action.
[1]               COM(2007) 332 final, 14 June 2007.
[2]               COM(2010) 245 final/2, 19 May 2010.
[3]               Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain,
France, Italy, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom (the
participating Member States), together with Israel, Norway and Switzerland.
[4]               Decision No 742/2008/EC, 9 July 2008.
[5]               European Commission’s preliminary own estimates based
on EUROSTAT and OECD data.
[6]               SEC(2008) 2911.
[7]               COM(2009) 545, 17 September 2009.
[8]               Silver Economy Network of
European Regions.
[9]               Interim EPC-SPC Joint Report on Pensions, 28 May
2010.
[10]             COM(2006) 571, COM(2009) 180, 2009 Ageing Report —
European Economy series.
[11]             European Commission ex-ante impact assessment of the
proposed Active and Assisted Living Joint Programme, SWD/2013/0251, 9 November
2012.
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=SWD:2013:0251:FIN:EN:PDF.
[12]             COM(2010) 2020, 3 March 2010.
[13]             COM(2010) 1161, 6 October 2010.
[14]             https://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/news/second-interim-evaluation-artemis-and-eniac-joint-technology-initiatives.