Successful closing conference of the European Year in France

The closing conference of the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations in France that took place on 17-18 December at the Palais des Congrès in Paris was a great success. The event brought together nearly 200 people during a day and a half.
From the opening, strong emphasis was placed on the importance of the transfer of skills and mutual benefits from experiences related to active ageing. One of the conference's recurrent themes was the generation contract (contrat de génération) commitment that the new government took during the presidential campaign, and which was presented at the opening by Emmanuelle Wargon, Delegate General for Employment and Vocational Training, This new initiative allows the hiring, under permanent contract, of young people who will be accompanied by a senior himself kept in his job until his retirement. This ambitious initiative aims at 500,000 beneficiaries: 250,000 young people and 250,000 seniors.
The role of companies was particularly in the spotlight during the event as another part of the agenda was devoted to the presentation of the Trajectoire Trophies, awards which recognise companies implementing action plans for seniors. In addition, a series of workshops led to a reflection on the central themes of the campaign:

• Ageing Well, how to improve the prevention of loss of autonomy?
• The adaptation of society with an ageing population, a necessary condition for age management.
• Associations, obligatory stakeholders in active ageing
• What are the challenges of work for all ages?
• How new technologies can improve the living conditions of the elderly?
• Coordination and partnerships, a leverage for the players in active ageing

Ralph Jacob, Head of Unit from the European Commission DG Employment, and Jean-Pierre Bultex, Vice President of AGE Plateforme Europe, contributed to the event. Finally, after the presentation of various ministers from other Member States, which allowed a comparison of practices in the EU, Michèle Delaunay, French Minister Delegate for Elderly People and Adult Care, conducted the closure of the event, recalling the importance given by the government to issues of active ageing.
Picture gallery of the event. Click here to browse through a selection of EY2012-related initiatives in France. For more information about the European Year 2012 in France you may visit this website.