Age Intergroup to continue pressure for equal rights for older people

6.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 29th Sep 2004

The European Parliament Intergroup on Ageing met today in Brussels to build support to ensure its official reconstitution later this year. The group plans a full reconstitution on 2nd December to coincide with the anniversary of the implementation date of the EU Employment Directive.

West Midlands Euro-MP Liz Lynne and Vice Chair of the previous Intergroup, was responsible for making sure that discrimination on the grounds of age was kept in the EU Employment Directive, which means from 2006 it will be illegal to discriminate against someone in the workplace on grounds of age.

She said it was important to have the Intergroup to lobby for changes in legislation and to push for equal rights and anti discrimination measures for older people across Europe.

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

The Liberal Democrat MEP added that Europe's ever increasing elderly population, should be seen as an opportunity rather than the threat many perceive it to be.

"Along with legislation though, we also need a change in culture and attitude, so that older people are seen as a solution rather than a problem. It is a disgrace that a third of the UK's 50-65 age group, are out of work yet we complain about a skills gap. This is not only a waste of money, costing the economy an estimated £16billion, but it is also a shocking waste of their experience.

"The intergroup over the next five years will continue to press for equal rights across the EU. We will also be putting pressure on member states to make sure they implement age discrimination legislation properly by 2006, which will help to create that change in attitude especially amongst business leaders."

ENDS