As 29 April marks the European Day of Intergenerational Solidarity, age Platform Europe welcomes both the agreement of the European social partners on active ageing and the intergenerational approach adopted last month, as well as the proposal for a directive to promote the reconciliation of work and private life under the European Pillar of Social Rights, Presented by the European Commission on 26 April. The EGM now calls on the European Parliament and EU Member States to swiftly adopt the EU pillar as a framework that supports greater solidarity between generations and has a positive impact on millions of European citizens. Ensuring active ageing and an intergenerational approach requires a common commitment from employers, workers and their representatives, but the European Union and national authorities also play a role in putting in place the necessary support framework. “This agreement shows the strength of the social partners when they come together and agree on a concrete agenda,” said Heinz Becker, MEP, during the presentation of the event. “It is very important to achieve the principle of healthy aging, which should start at an early age.” In the Framework Agreement on Active Ageing, the European social partners outline a series of measures to be implemented to “improve the ability of workers of all ages to remain healthy and active in the labour market until the legal retirement age and to strengthen a culture of responsibility, commitment, respect and dignity in all workplaces, where all workers, regardless of age, are considered important.” These proposals, which are in line with the EGM recommendations on access to employment, highlighted in our response to the introduction of the European Pillar of Social Rights by the European Commission, are extremely important for creating sustainable working environments and jobs and contributing to the sustainability of pension systems as institutions of solidarity between generations. The proposal to give workers the right to five days` paid care leave is more than welcome, as it allows workers to deal with emergency situations where a close relative suddenly needs their help and long-term care needs to be organised for them. But five days will only be enough if there are enough long-term care facilities to meet all emerging care needs. That is why the proposal to allocate EU funds to the development of long-term care services is essential to help Member States cope with Europe`s ageing population. Investment in quality long-term care is essential to promote work-life balance and equality between women and men. On 27 April, the AGE Platform Europe and the Intergroup on Ageing and Intergenerational Solidarity of the European Parliament organised, in collaboration with the EPP and ALDE Groups, a debate on breakfast at the European Parliament on the occasion of the European Day of Intergenerational Solidarity, with a presentation by the European social partners on active ageing and an intergenerational approach, and a debate on what the EU and civil society can do to support active ageing. and solidarity between generations. European pillar of social rights: reconciling work and private life and the importance of care “Intergenerational collective problems require collective intergenerational responses,” recalled Anne-Sophie Parent, Secretary General of the Age, before adding that “promoting age diversity in the workplace is a question of coherence in a European Union that asks its citizens to work longer”. Across Europe, around one in five older workers simultaneously care for a family member who needs care and help.
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