To mark the 10th Anniversary of the United Nations Action Plan on Ageing, 2012 has been designated as The European Year for Active Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity with the aim of

raising awareness on the contribution that older people make to society and the important role that young people play in society as a whole;

mobilising policymakers and relevant stakeholders at all levels to promote active ageing in the fields of employment, social protection, family policies, education and training, health and social services, as well as housing, transport, leisure, and public infrastructures;

calling for greater cooperation and solidarity between generations.

Active Ageing is defined by the World Health Organisation as the process of optimising opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age. It allows people to realise 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. It implies optimising opportunities for physical, social and mental health to enable older people to take an active part in society without discrimination and to enjoy an independent and good quality of life. Against this background, intergenerational solidarity refers to the mutual support and cooperation between different age groups in order to achieve a society where people of all ages have a role to play, and can benefit from their community's economic and social progress on an equal basis.

It is clear that society in general, not just in the European Union, is going to have to adapt to meet the needs of its ageing population, but at the same time it will also have to tackle the new challenges faced by other age groups so that all generations will be able to continue supporting each other, for example in terms of pension systems. This implies reviewing policies and practices as regards town planning, rural development, public transport, access to health care, family policy, education and training, social protection, employment, civic participation, leisure, as well as empowering older people to age in good health and to contribute more actively to the labour market and to their communities.

The EU has certainly set itself an ambitious agenda – and the eurozone crisis has to be addressed, too!

For further information click here.