The Council of Ministers

The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union have come to an agreement on the 2012: Year for active ageing and solidarity between generations. The Council and European Parliament agreed to designate 2012 as the European Year for active ageing and solidarity between generations. The promotion of active ageing involves creating better opportunities and working conditions to enable women and men who are in their late 50’s and above to play their part in the labour (...)

Health Ministers pushed for EU financial programmes, and in particular the Structural Funds, to reflate ailing health systems and reduce health inequalities, during the EPSCO Council on 6 June 2011. They also launched a reflection process to identify effective ways of investing in health, so as to pursue modern, responsive and sustainable health systems. At its meeting on 6 June 2011 in Luxembourg, the European Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) adopted (...)

On 19 May, 2011, social affairs ministers adopted conclusions on EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020, inviting the member states to set up and implement goals in the fields of education, employment, healthcare and housing, so as to close the gaps between marginalised Roma communities and the general population. Commission EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020 Presidency note for the exchange of views at EPSCO meeting 19 May 2011 on (...)

The Competitiveness Council adopted Council Conclusions on the pilot innovation partnership on active and healthy ageing, The Council welcomed the on-going work in preparation of the pilot European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on Active and Healthy Ageing (AHA), and the main goal to increase on average, by 2020, the healthy lives of Europeans by two years. The Council highlighted the work of the Commission in setting up a high level Steering Group (SG) with a broad and balanced (...)

*Update March 2011* The Council adopted the main messages of the report on the social dimension of the Europe 2020 strategy. This report concentrates on progress towards the EU headline target on social inclusion/poverty reduction. *Update March 2011* Social Affairs Ministers adopted conclusions highlighted the role of employment and education policies in the fight against poverty, during the EPSCO Council on the 7 March 2011. The reform social protection systems should both aim at (...)

In the context of increasing employment rates to meet EU2020 targets, the 2012 Year on Active Ageing and the Healthy and Active Ageing Pilot Partnership, the Council of Ministers issued Council Conclusion on the effects of demographic changes on the workforce and employment policies. They highlight several of the implications that an ageing population will have. Higher participation of older workers in employment is an important factor that contributes to smart, sustainable and inclusive (...)

In December 2010, the Council of Ministers issued Council Conclusions on the Innovation Union Flagship that highlighted its role in the EU fulfiling Europe 2020 Strategy objective. The Conclusions recognise the importance of social innovation and set up guidelines for Innovation Partnerships. The Conclusions recommend relevant future EU funding programmes, notably the Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development, the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (...)

In its Conclusions on the long-term sustainability and quality of public finances on 5 May 2009, the Council of the European Union requested that the Economic Policy Committee and the European Commission continue to work on improving the measurement of the quality of public finances, including a systematic analysis of the efficiency and effectiveness of expenditure. Afterwards the Economic Policy Committee and the Commission conducted a thorough analysis of the institutional features of EU (...)

In view of the EU Summit on 19-20 March 2009, EPHA published a Press Release calling on Member States to do all within their power to protect health. Health campaigners today called on European governments to act boldly and quickly to protect the health and well-being of this generation and future generations to come in Europe. A healthy population is essential for economic recovery and continued growth. Healthy individuals create, find and keep jobs, as well as being better able to cope (...)

The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) meeting took place on 16 and 17 December 2008 in Brussels. In the EPSCO meeting, Health and Consumer affairs addressed on 16 December, chaired by the French Minister for Health. The Health Council debated the proposed Patients’ Rights Directive and Rare Diseases: The proposal for a directive on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare was the main point on the agenda for the (...)