From Ageism to Age Equality: Addressing the Challenges ...

Health and PensionsMember States have also recognised the importance of ageing in the areas of health and pensions.Legal authority for action on pensions and healthcare, however, does not rest at European level butis covered by the notion of subsidiarity and is, therefore, the responsibility of Member States.European action is restricted to the ‘open method of coordination’, whereby the EuropeanCommission brings Member States together to collaborate and share practice with the intention ofimproving consistency of approach.The EU has agreed common objectives in the area of pensions under three headings:safeguarding the capacity of systems to meet their social objectivesmaintaining their financial sustainabilitymeeting changing societal needs.Member States will report on their national pensions strategies in 2005.The European Parliament adopted a resolution in March 2004 that proposes to extend the openmethod of coordination to the area of health and long-term care. The European Council agreed theseproposals in October 2004. The main areas that the open method of coordination will look at are:universal accessfairness and solidarity in healthcarefinancial sustainability.The Commission will take a first look at these issues across Member States and report to the springsummit in March 2005. We at AGE are working, and will continue to work, to ensure that ageing isgiven due weight in these discussions.57DiscriminationEuropean institutions have pursued the notion of an inclusive Europe free from discrimination since the1957 Treaty of Rome. Article 13 of the 1997 Amsterdam Treaty agreed powers for the EU to addressage discrimination and promote diversity through legislation. Article 13 proposals must be agreedunanimously in the Council: that is, the governments of the Member States must agree to act together.In 2000, the Council of Ministers agreed to a package of measures designed to enhance the rights ofpeople across the EU. The package consisted of two Directives and an Action Programme to supportimplementation.The two Directives were the Race Equality Directive (known as the Race Directive) and a frameworkDirective on equal treatment in employment and occupation (known as the Framework EmploymentDirective). The Directives supplement existing EU legislation on gender issues.The Directives are required to be transposed into national law by 2 December 2003. In the cases ofthe disability and age provisions of the Framework Employment Directive, however, a further threeyears until December 2006 is allowed for the transposition. The ten new Member States wereFrom Ageism to Age Equality: Addressing the Challenges