Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council – Taking forward the Strategic Implementation Plan of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing

Demographic ageing is one of the most serious challenges Europe is facing. According to recent projections, the number of Europeans aged 65 and over will almost double over the next 50 years, from 87 million in 2010 to 148 million in 2060. This trend represents a challenge for public authorities, policy makers, businesses and the non-profit sector, especially as it comes at a time of increasing pressure on public budgets, a steady decline in the number of health personnel and growing demands from older people for care products and services.

If this demographic transition is not tackled head-on, it will raise considerable concerns for the financial sustainability of health and care systems. Public spending on health already accounts for 7.8% of GDP in the EU, and by 2060, public expenditure on acute health care and long-term care is expected to increase by 3% of GDP due to ageing.

Supporting active and healthy ageing is important both to improve the quality of life of elderly citizens and help them contribute to society as they grow older; and to reduce unsustainable pressure on health systems.

The Commission has launched, among other initiatives, the European Innovation Partnerships within the Innovation Union, one of the flagship initiatives of the Europe 2020 strategy, with the objective of accelerating innovation to address a well defined target within a grand societal challenge.

The European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (the Partnership) has been selected as a pilot to tackle the challenge of an ageing population. It sets a target of increasing the healthy lifespan of EU citizens by 2 years by 2020, and aims to pursue a triple win for Europe by improving health and quality of life of older people, improving the sustainability and efficiency of care systems and creating growth and market opportunities for businesses.

The Partnership brings together public and private stakeholders to accelerate the deployment of major innovations by committing them to undertaking supply and demand side measures across sectors and the entire innovation system. The Partnership is neither a new funding programme or instrument nor a new legal entity, and does not replace existing decision-making processes.

The Partnership is a distinctive opportunity to help deliver on the policy objectives of the Europe 2020 flagships: the Innovation Union, Digital Agenda for Europe, New Skills for New Jobs and the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion. Its objectives and approach are also in line with the principles and goals of the EU Health Strategy "Together for health" and the Partnership represents a significant contribution from the EU to achieving the objectives of the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations in 2012.

This Communication is the Commission's response to the Strategic Implementation Plan, the first landmark document of the Partnership.

EUR-Lex: COM(2012)083: Follow the progress of this document through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2012:083:FIN

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