EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL : ACTIVE AGEING: COUNCIL RECOMMENDS COMMON PRINCIPLES.

• Position: Brief article

The Employment and Social Affairs Council has invited the member states and the European Commission to adopt, by the end of 2012, common principles in support of active ageing that would cover employment, participation in society and healthy, independent and dignified living. This is one of the key messages of the conclusions adopted at the session, on 1 December 2011.

The document calls on member states to devote special attention to active ageing in their national reform programmes and to envisage if need be the adoption of specific objectives for the employment of older workers. The 27 are also encouraged to facilitate the organisation of social services for older persons and to intensify efforts, in cooperation with the social partners, to raise the effective retirement age. The conclusions ask the Commission to take...