Coverage Soon in E-Version

CoverAGE - Issue 139 – October 2013

Special announcement

CoverAGE soon in e-version

An electronic version of AGE Platform Europe’s newsletter CoverAGE is being developed and should be available in the coming weeks. The purpose of this new version is to facilitate the access and handling of the articles and bridge the content of our newsletter to our website.

Registered readers will be sent the e-newsletter automatically via e-mail every month. The titles and the first few lines of the articles will appear on the message. You will then just have to click on the title to access the full article on AGE’s website.

If you do not yet receive our newsletter and wish to do so, you can register in inserting your email address on the right column of the home page of our website (www.age-platform.eu), or by sending a message to .

We hope you will appreciate this new version and remain open to any suggestion you may have to improve it.

EU Policy Developments

Council

Council adopts directive on mortgage credits

On 28 January, the member states' finance ministers adopted a directive, which regulates at European level mortgage loan contracts for residential property. The new rules aim to better protect consumers from inappropriate loans. The directive provides measures to better inform borrowers and improve their solvency assessments. It also foresees an obligatory cooling-off period of seven days before signing a loan contract and better protection for borrowers in case of payment defaults on their loans. Another measure is the introduction of a right for borrowers to pay off their loan before the end of the contract, under certain conditions decided by the member states.

Click here to access the directive

CoverAGE - Issue 142 – January 2014

European Parliament

Campaign ‘Your vote counts’

In order to mobilize EU citizens to take part in the upcoming European Parliament elections, the European Commission has published a video which encourages people to vote whatever their opinions, so their voice may be heard and reflected in the polls.

The video is available here

AGE is also running a campaign to encourage older citizens to take an active part in the European elections to ensure that the European Parliament who will elected in May will be more « age-friendly”. AGE has launched a Manifesto “Toward an age-friendly EP” which reflects AGE’s members’ views on what can and should be done at EU level for a society for all ages. More information here.

MEPs adopt position on insurance products

On 22 January, the European Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) voted on a report by German EPP MEP Werner Langen which makes proposals to review the rules for the distribution of insurance products (such as house insurance or life insurance policies) in order to better protect insurance policy holders. The adopted compromise would limit - but not prohibit - the practice of selling different insurance products or services in a package instead of separately.

This vote closes a several-month-long debate, after the European Commission proposed to ban this practice.

In order to ensure the offer of affordable and commonly used insurance products, MEPs decided that the insurance undertaking shall inform and offer the consumer the possibility to buy the different components of the package jointly or separately.

EP resolution on homelessness

Although acknowledging that housing is a national responsibility, a large majority of MEPs adopted a resolution in favour of a European strategy on homelessness to address the lack of affordable and appropriate housing that exists in many member states. Based on the principle that housing is a basic human need, this strategy should pay special attention to the following 5 main issues:

· access to housing

· cross-border homelessness

· quality of homelessness services

· prevention of homelessness

· youth homelessness.

To read the resolution

Click here to watch the video of the EP debate

EP adopts eHealth Action Plan

The European Parliament adopted a resolution in response to the Commission’s Communication on eHealth Action Plan 2012-2020. It noted the important role that eHealth can play in reducing health inequalities and improving access to high-quality universal healthcare (recognized as a fundamental right) and stresses that equal access to eHealth should be ensured for women, as patients but also as carers, ICT specialists and policymakers.

The Parliament suggests a number of recommendations to ensure the universal accessibility of eHealth applications, which it states should be a mandatory condition, and calls for the establishment of a platform for collaboration in research between patients, academia, industry and professionals for more effective and inclusive eHealth policies.

Read more

European Commission

EC publishes guide on application of ‘habitual residence’

On 13 January, the European Commission published a guide to help member states apply the habitual residence test for social security. Its objective is to facilitate the free circulation of individuals within the EU and points out the guarantees that prevent people from abusing social security systems in other member states.

The document summarises the rules laid down in EU Regulation 883/2004 on the coordination of social security systems and deals with complex issues like seconded workers and workers working in more than one member state. It clarifies the notions of “habitual residence,” “temporary residence” and “stay,'” to make it easier to decide which member state is responsible for providing social security benefits (only one member state is responsible).

Read more in the Commission’s press release - Click here to download the guide

EU report highlights rising in-work poverty

The 2013 'Employment and social developments in Europe review', issued by the European Commission on 21 January, points out tentative signs of economic recovery, as well as the stabilisation of rising unemployment rates, but also reveals that long-term unemployment, structural unemployment and lack of adequate skills are increasing in most member states. It underlines a rise in in-work poverty: those in work are working less hours for lower salaries, and only half of the jobs found enable the person to be left out of poverty.

It is furthermore reported that, in ‘well-designed’ benefit and job seeking assistance systems, people who receive unemployment benefit are more likely to find a job, in particular a job that is more appropriate to their skills and with a high salary, than people who do not receive benefits. The Commission proposes to develop the grant of ‘standard safety nets’ to unemployed people but make it more adequate and less ‘standardised’ (for example, with reducing grants over time) and accompanied by appropriate conditions such as job search requirements.

The report, which contributes to the debate on the social dimension of the EMU, finally concludes that, in order to ensure that recovery is lasting, it is necessary to ‘invest in jobs and people, improve labour market functioning, increase the effectiveness and efficiency of tax and benefit systems, support transitions away from unemployment and poverty, and restore socio-economic convergence within the EMU’. Or as Commissioner Andor summed up, it is not enough to just create jobs but to create quality jobs, jobs that will draw people out of poverty.

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-43_en.htm

Joint EU report confirms national transposition of EU non-discrimination directives but highlights further challenges

The European Commission recently launched a report regarding the state of play 13 years after the EU’s anti-discrimination directives were adopted in 2000. According to this document, while all 28 Member States have now transposed in national law the EU anti-discrimination rules regarding race equality and equal access to employment, further efforts are needed to apply them in practice. The report finds that there are still challenges to the rules being properly applied on the ground. People may not always be aware of their rights, for example that the EU legislation protects them from discrimination when applying for a job as well as in the workplace itself. Likewise, lack of equality data – for the collection of which member states are responsible – makes it difficult to quantify and monitor instances of discrimination. Moreover, it is likely that only a small proportion of discrimination incidents are actually reported, due to primarily a lack of awareness. The report also points to ineffective sanctions and judicial remedies and refers to the development of the caselaw of the Court of Justice of the Europe Union, with an emphasis on age discrimination.

A separate annex to the report is dedicated to provisions on age discrimination in employment and occupation in the member states, where AGE’s contribution for the preparation of the Commission’s report is cited many times as an evidence of the situation of older workers on the ground.

The report concludes that legislation needs now to combine legislation with policy action, stressing the role of National Equality Bodies.

You may read the EC joint report on the application of the two anti-discrimination directives here and the annex regarding age discrimination here. For more information you may contact Nena Georgantzi, Legal Officer

Report from the European Platform against Poverty Stakeholders’ meeting

On 25 January, the EC held the 8th meeting of stakeholders of the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion. This platform, launched in 2010 to remain active until 2020, is one of seven flagship initiatives of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.

The January meeting was organised to get stakeholders’ feedback from the last Convention on Poverty organised in November 2013. There was a general consensus on the further need to link closer the convention to the initial objectives of the Platform. The feeling of the social NGOS is that the Convention fails to monitor the progress of member states in reaching the poverty reduction target as fixed in the Europe 2020 Strategy.

The meeting also provided the latest developments from the implementation of the policy measures with regard to the Social Investment package, Social Open Method of Coordination (its peer reviews meetings in particular), or the EC communication on the social dimension in the Economic and Monetary Union. The exchange between Commission’s services and European social NGOs, including AGE, covered therefore the delivery of actions across the whole policy spectrum such as the labour market, minimum income support, healthcare, education, housing and access to basic banking accounts.

The Commission also announced its communication with proposals for a mid-term review of the Europe 2020 strategy. Its objective is to ask different stakeholders on evidence for what has worked or where the strategy failed to addressed the initial objectives. The communication is expected in March but this will only mark the very beginning of the process. It is only once a new Commission is designed that a follow-up with concrete proposals on how to improve the delivery of Europe 2020 will be proposed.

For more information, please contact:

Conference on ‘Addressing health inequalities: 2014 and beyond’

On 23rd January the results of the three years equity action program was presented at a conference in the European Commission, where different stakeholders came together to discuss what has been achieved and how the problems of health inequalities can be further addressed in 2014 and beyond.

The motivation to tackle inequalities in health was emphasized as being both a moral obligation and an economic necessity in our ageing societies. Persisting health inequalities are a barrier to meeting the Europe 2020’s targets for active inclusion and economic recovery.

The ‘Equity Action’ programme, which started in February 2011 and is coming to an end in February this year, is an EU joint action bringing together 15 member states and other organisations in order to reduce health inequalities. In a manifesto addressed to health ministers, Equity Action partners underline the necessity of using structural and investment funds to reduce health inequalities. They also encourage ministers to support their action by drawing on the good practices developed in the intiative.

More information and a full conference programme

The conference has been web streamed and can be viewed on the following link

Watch the video: “Reducing health inequalities in the European Union” (2010)

Towards EU accessibility standards for public sector websites

The European Commission endorsed a series of European standards on accessibility requirements for the public procurement of ICT products and services, drafted by the three officially recognized European Standardization Organisations: the European Committee for Standardization (CEN), the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), with the cooperation of other stakeholders including ANEC, which defends consumers’ interest in the EU standardization process. ANEC welcomes the adoption in a press release.

The proposed requirements can be accessed here: EN 301 549 - TR 101 550 - TR101 551 - TR 101 552

European Ombudsman calls for feedback on the European citizens' initiative (ECI) procedure

The European Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, invites organisers of European Citizens' Initiatives (ECIs), civil society organisations, and other interested persons to examine how well the ECI is working in order to help her assess the procedure and suggest improvement if necessary.

The deadline for take part in this consultation is 31 March 2014.

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_EO-14-2_en.htm

The 2014 UN Social Forum focuses on the rights of older people

The Social Forum is a subsidiary body of the United Nations Human Rights Council, which serves as unique space for open and interactive dialogue between the representatives of Member States, civil society, including grass-roots organisations, and intergovernmental organisations on issues linked with the national and international environment needed for the promotion of the enjoyment of all human rights by all. It meets once a year and is open to the participation of representatives of States Members of the United Nations and all other interested stakeholders, such as intergovernmental organisations, different components of the United Nations system and civil society. This year’s forum will take place from 1st to 3rd April in Geneva and will focus on the rights of older people, as decided by a relevant Human Rights Council Resolution. AGE will participate as a panellist in this event. NGOs interested in taking part in this meeting should request accreditation by 14th March 2014, following the information provided here. Unfortunately, there are no funded seats for participation in this meeting.

You will find more information here, or by contacting Nena Georgantzi, AGE Legal Officer, at

New “Toolbox” to help societal stakeholders participate in the standards development process