healthy and active ageing - EuroHealthNet's Healthy Ageing Website

10. ANNEX III
EU Council conclusions on Active Ageing 2009-2010
Both Sweden and Spain highlighted healthy ageing as a priority during their Presidency of the Council
of the European Union.
In 2009, the Swedish Presidency of the European Union adopted council conclusions on “Healthy
and Dignified Ageing” and invited member states to make the issue of healthy and dignified ageing
one of their priorities for the coming years and to shift their focus towards preventive measures in
order to reduce the burden of chronic diseases, frailty and disability. The council conclusions highlight
that “healthier ageing would also allow the costs of care to be reduced and could partially offset the
financial impact of demography in the health and social sectors”.
The full Council conclusions are available on:
http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/09/st14/st14996.en09.pdf
The ageing theme was continued during the Spanish Presidency of the European Union as they
adopted council conclusions on ‘Active Ageing’ in June 2010. The conclusions set out a wide range
of initiatives that have taken place relating to Active Ageing in the past years, which have contributed
to shaping the policy framework in this area. They state that older people are a valuable resource and
crucial to Europe’s economic competitive and prosperity, and emphasise “that Europe’s best chance
for addressing the challenges of population ageing depend on making full use of the potential of older
people, which will require the promotion of active ageing.”
EU Member States and the Commission are invited to undertake a range of actions, specified by the
conclusions, to promote Active Ageing, such as “highlighting the benefits and opportunities that the
economic and social participation of older men and women would provide to society, in particular by
ensuring that people in their late fifties and sixties face good opportunities for employment, active
participation in society and healthy living.
The full Council conclusions are available on:
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/lsa/114968.pdf
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