A cross-party group of 14 MEPs has stressed that menopause should be addressed in public policies to protect workers not only from the health and safety impact, but also to protect them from discrimination.
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Age discrimination hinders older people to live a dignified life and this issue must be addressed on EU level. Four representatives from different Nordic Pensioners’ Organisations encourage everyone to vote for candidates to the European Parliament elections who advocates for better conditions for older people in the EU.
It is time that the rights of older people and the fight against age discrimination remain on the EU agenda.
The need to improve the living conditions for older people need to be emphasized ahead of the EU elections on May 26. Much responsibility lies with the political parties from the Nordic countries within the EU (Denmark, Finland and Sweden) and the main issue to ensure that age discrimination against older people is a priority within the European Parliament.
Our respective organisation, together with the network of organisations forming AGE Platform Europe calls on the European Parliament to act on the seven points that are expressed in the AGE Platform Manifesto for the European Elections 2019.
The decisions taken by the European Parliament plays an important role for all the laws and policy decisions that are taken in national parliaments. We therefore need an EU that actively works for social policies and provides opportunities for more equal societies. We encourage everyone to vote for the European Elections on May 26 that are willing to take a stand and contribute to such developments.
Authors:
Christina Tallberg (PRO Pensionärernas Riksorganisation, Sweden)
Berit Bölander (SKPF Pensionärerna, Sweden)
Timo Kokko (Pensionstagarnas Centralförbund, Finland)
Palle Smed (Faglige Seniorer, Denmark)
Jan Koskimies (Eläkeläiset ry, Finland)
Read the article in Swedish on dagenssamhalle.se
The importance of the European Elections on 26 May was the focus of a recent article published in the largest magazine for pensioners in Sweden (“PROpensionären“). Philippe Seidel, from AGE Platform Europe highlights the growing role of the European Parliament and the importance of strong social policies in the EU.
“If opponents of the EU with a nationalist agenda will get more influence in the upcoming European elections on 26 May, it can be difficult to cooperate on social policy issues among the EU Member States”
according to AGE Platform Europe
It will negatively affect older people in Europe if the far-right movement with a nationalistic agenda from Member States reach the European Parliament, states Philippe Seidel.
“The European Pillar of Social Rights is a game changer“
The expressed concern also stems from the fact that ongoing policy processes can be blocked. Under the current term of the European Parliament, important milestones have been achieved in the field of social policy, including the European Pillar of Social Rights that builds upon 20 key principles towards delivering new and more effective rights for citizens.
“These non-binding principles has created a new focus on social issues”
says Philippe Seidel
A concrete outcome of the Social Pillar is the provisional agreement around the Work-Life Balance Directive that, if approved by the Council of the European Union, will for the first time recognise informal carers and give them a right to take five days of carers’ leave per year. With influential representatives of European extreme right-wing in the European Parliament, it is less likely that similar agreements would be concluded.
Continue reading “Will there be a backlash against older age related issues in the EU?” →
"The Europe we want is for all ages"