Liz Lynne throws down the gauntlet on AGE Manifesto

12.00.00am GMT Thu 18th Mar 2004

Liz Lynne, the Liberal Democrat MEP, has today thrown down the gauntlet to other West Midlands MEP's, calling on them to follow her example and sign up to the AGE manifesto.

The manifesto, entitled "Can we make a European society for all ages a reality?" is a checklist of 11 key areas in which the AGE pressure group want to see action from the European Parliament. Liz has pledged her continued support for the older generation by signing up for all eleven. Commenting on the list, she said:

"This manifesto highlights the important issue of making our society suitable for all ages, and the points on the checklist will help in working towards that.

"Over the last five years we have achieved a lot, especially in my field of employment and social affairs. We overcame Conservative reluctance to include age discrimination at work in the employment directive; we called for more training for older people in last year's employment guidelines; and only last week Parliament approved an important report on healthcare for the elderly.

"But there is much still to be done, ranging from research on age issues to more support for carers. Older people across Europe should enjoy the same respect and freedom as everyone else. That's why I've signed up to this manifesto, and am calling on the other MEP's and Euro-election candidates to do the same. By committing to these important issues, we can help to ensure that the West Midlands is a central part of a European society for all ages."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

AGE are a European Umbrella Organisation campaigning for the rights of older people.

Liz Lynne MEP is a member of the Third Age Intergroup within the European Parliament.

The 11 points on the checklist are:

Ø To pay particular attention to the concerns raised by older people's organisations in particular in enlargement countries

Ø To support the rapid adoption of the European Constitutional Treaty, and in particular to support qualified majority voting within the Council of Minister for discrimination issues.

Ø To raise awareness about age discrimination at national level, to put pressure on Member States for a rapid adoption of the age-related measures of the European directive combating discrimination in employment.

Ø To support the adoption of larger scope directive that would ban age discrimination in all areas of life

Ø To promote a fair reform of social protection systems (pension reform; health care and long-term care for the elderly; social inclusion) that will guarantee adequate protection to elderly people in the future,

Ø To pay particular attention to the issue of family carers of dependent older relatives , and to promote the adoption of a European Charter for Informal Carers

Ø To support the rapid adoption of the Council Directive implementing the principle of equal treatment between women and men in the access to goods and services, and to promote gender equality in all EU policies

Ø To promote the adoption of measures to increase the participation of older workers in the labour market, including lifelong learning and European mobility

Ø To campaign for the adaptation of European mobility programmes accessible to older people and older workers, and to promote the conclusions of the Education Council of 30 May 2002

Ø To promote ageing issues in the new framework programmes for research (FP7) and for health

Ø To support the work of the Intergroup on Ageing within the European Parliament and to participate to its action if you are elected in June 2004

The British Conservatives eventually abstained on the final vote on the employment directive in the European Parliament.

Liz Lynne is also calling for a referendum on the European Constitution.