Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council. Final evaluation of the Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme

The European Union has recognised that information and communication technologies (ICT) are key to addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by an ageing population. In particular, the European Commission addressed this in its Communication 'Ageing Well in the Information Society' (2007) and has made substantial financial support available for research, development and innovation in this field.

The Commission reinforced the Union’s commitment to make use of ICT for active and healthy ageing in its Communication 'A Digital Agenda for Europe' (2010). The Union’s participation in the Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme (AAL JP) is a cornerstone of that commitment.

The AAL JP was set up in 2008 by 20 EU Member States and three associated countries. The Union decided to match participating states’ support with funding from the 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7), based on Article 185 of the EC Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

The AAL JP focuses on applied research and innovation of ICT-based products and services for an ageing population, with a two-to-three year time-to-market. The principal owners of the programme are the participating states, who execute it through an international non-profit AAL Association (AALA) governed by a General Assembly and supported operationally by a Central Management Unit. The Commission has observer status in the General Assembly and a veto right on the annual work programme, and is also a party to the agreements with the AALA as regards the EU’s financial contribution.

The 2008 decision on the Community’s financial contribution to the AAL JP provided for a final evaluation of the programme to be conducted by the end of 2013; this has been carried out by an independent high-level expert panel chaired by former European Commissioner for Research Philippe Busquin. The panel assessed the results achieved and progress made towards the AAL JP objectives, and issued strategic and operational follow-up recommendations addressed to the Commission and the Member States.

This report analyses the key recommendations of the panel and proposes action to be taken by the Commission with other EU institutions and stakeholders, and through its role in the AAL JP.

EUR-Lex: COM(2013)898: Follow the progress of this proposal through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2013:898:FIN

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