EU ADDRESSES AGING CHALLENGES

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 000945 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ELAB SOCI ECON TBIO EUN SUBJECT: EU ADDRESSES AGING CHALLENGES REF: A. STATE 29783 ¶B. BRUSSELS 826 ¶1. EU ministers for Employment and Social Affairs at their February 22 Council meeting (reftel B) recognized the contribution of older people to economic growth, employment and social development. They backed the German Presidency's initiative underlining the importance of family-friendly policies to encourage a higher birth rate. ¶2. Aging is a major problem in the EU as the birthrate has dropped below the replenishing rate and the need to address labor shortages in general has risen. However, the direct responsibility for action lies with the individual Member States, as there is little competency at the EU level in employment issues. What can be done at a European level rests mostly on its ability to create suitable frameworks and support measures through promoting awareness, cooperation, and an exchange of best practices in age management through the Open Method of Coordination (OMC),defined in the Lisbon Strategy development plan set out by the European Council in ¶2000. Also in the Lisbon Strategy, there is an overall employment target for older workers of 50% by 2010 (although the EU is behind in meeting this target). Older workers are also directly included in the Council's Directive 2000/78 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation,, although there are also specific caveats for the justification of differences of treatment on grounds of age., There appears to be a focus on the issue of age management through employment strategies, as this issue is being vigorously addressed through several studies being done at a European level to assess the situation and promote dissemination of best practices (links below). European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, 2006: A Guide to Good Practice in Age Management " http://www.eurofound.eu.int/pubdocs/ 2005/137/en/1/ef05137en.pdf" Report financed by and prepared for the European Commission, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities by the Warwick Institute for Employment Research, and others in March, 2006: Ageing and Employment: Identification of Good Practices to Increase Job Opportunities and Maintain Older Workers in Employment " http://ec.europa.eu/employment social/news/ 2006/sept/ageingreport en.pdf " .