"Europe's ageing population is a challenge for our job market and its social and health systems. But it is also an economic and social opportunity. ICT will provide new and more accessible products and services that meet the needs of older people," said Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for the Information Society and Media. "These two initiatives will mobilise digital technologies that will improve the daily lives and social participation of older people and create new opportunities for Europe's industry."
By 2020, 25% of the EU's population will be over 65. Spending on pensions, health and long-term care is expected to increase by 4-8% of GDP in coming decades, with total expenditures tripling by 2050. However, older Europeans are also important consumers with a combined wealth of over 3000 billion.
ICT will increasingly allow older people to stay active and productive for longer; to continue to engage in society with more accessible online services; and to enjoy a healthier and higher quality of life for longer.
The majority of older people do not yet enjoy the benefits of the digital age - low cost communications and online services that could support some of their real needs - since only 10% use the internet. Severe vision, hearing or dexterity problems, frustrate many older peoples' efforts (21% of the over 50s) to engage in the information society.
In response, today's Action Plan aims at:
- overcoming technical and regulatory barriers to market development, through market assessments and by facilitating the exchange of best practice between Member States;
- raising awareness, and building consensus via stakeholder cooperation in 2007 and the establishment of a best practice internet portal,
- accelerating take-up through, for example, a set of pilot projects and a European award scheme for smart homes and independent living applications;
- boosting research and innovation by immediately supporting a joint public-private research programme dedicated to "ambient assisted living". It aims to foster the emergence of innovative, ICT-based products, services and systems for Europe's ageing population.
Between now and 2013, the EU and Member States, and the private sector will invest more than 1 billion in research and innovation for ageing well: some 600m in the ambient assisted living programme, an expected 400m in the EU's latest research framework programme (see IP/06/1590) and about 30m this year in the EU's ICT Policy Support Programme (see IP/06/716).
The action plan and research programme will enable a better quality of life for elderly people, make significant cost-savings in health and social care possible and create a strong industrial basis for ICT and ageing in Europe. Europe itself could also become a lead market in ICT for "ageing well"; and as ageing is a global phenomenon, a strong industry in Europe would have opportunities worldwide. Furthermore, research aimed at developing more practical and simpler appliances that are easier to understand and use has a much broader scope of application.
For further information, please visit:
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/einclusion
Ageing Well in the Information Society is a flagship initiative of the European Commission to promote an inclusive European information society (see IP/05/643). It is in integral part of the EU's i2010 initiative a European Information Society for Growth and Jobs (see IP/05/643). In 2005 the Commission adopted a strategy on e-accessibility (see IP/05/1144) and in Riga in 2006 EU Member States agreed on a political agenda for e-inclusion (see IP/06/769). By the end 2007, the Commission will adopt a Communication on its future e-inclusion strategy.