International Day of Older Persons

"As we are living longer and healthier lives, demographic ageing is one of the major issues for global society and presents significant challenges. We are living longer, but not working longer, which is creating pressures on pensions, healthcare systems and public expenditure systems.

At European level we are committed to a policy of active ageing, through lifelong learning, encouraging people to work longer, keeping active after retirement and engaging in activities which sustain health and capacity. We have also acted to tackle discrimination in employment and occupation, including on the grounds of age. Member States must honour the commitment they made in 2000 to address such discrimination, by ensuring that legislation is ready to be implemented by the 2 December 2003 deadline.

I am fully behind the UN in the work it is doing to promote the position of older people as productive and important members of our society. The European Commission will honour the commitments made at the Second World Assembly on Ageing in 2002."

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