Eurocarers and EU level policy

1. Eurocarers and EU level policy Eurocarers EGA, 16 November 2010 Christine Marking Advisor to the Eurocarers Executive Committee

2. Content: • How does the EU work? • Current and future relevant policy files • Interest Group on Carers

3. How does the EU work?

4. The Institutional Triangle Commission proposes/ implements Parliament Council amends/decides amends/decides

5. The European Commission: • Driving force within the EU system: takes initiatives for policy development • One Commissioner for each Member State • Commissioners are politically independent • Upholds the interests of the EU as a whole • 27 Directorates General (‘ministries’), each responsible for a specific policy area

6. The Council of Ministers: • Main legislator and decision making body • Represents the Member States • Ministers empowered to commit their governments • Answerable to their national Parliaments

7. The European Parliament: • ‘The voice of the European citizens’: 736 Members directly elected for 5 years • Sit in Europe-wide political blocks (not national blocks) • Shares the power to legislate with the Council of Ministers • Shares budget authority with the Council of Ministers and can influence EU spending

8. Current and future relevant policy files

9. Current and future EU policy files Current: • Green paper on pensions • Innovative partnership on healthy and active ageing Future: • Staff working paper on long term care and follow up • European Year of Volunteering 2011 • European Year of Active Ageing 2012

10. Green paper op pensions • EU wide consultation with a view to follow up initiative • ‘General’ paper with a focus on recommendations e.g. • Need to increase retirement age • Need to develop diversified pension systems • Need to develop legislation for greater pension mobility Follow up initiative to be more specific

11. Innovative partnership on healthy and active ageing Objectives •enabling EU citizens to lead healthy, active and independent lives until old age •improving the sustainability and efficiency of social and health care systems •developing EU and global markets for innovative products and services, thus creating new opportunities for businesses Overarching goal • to increase average healthy lifeyears (HLYs) in the EU by 2 years by 2020

12. Innovative partnership on healthy and active ageing Work area 1 •target individuals as patients and consumers •by developing innovative solutions, clinical tests, medicines and treatments to combat and address major chronic and rare diseases Work area 2 •focus on social and health care systems •by developing innovative policies and business models for more integrated care systems for older people (including home and self-care) Work area 3 •target EU related markets by contributing to enabling older people to lead independent and active lives •by promoting the development and deployment of innovative products, devices and services, including ICT solutions

13. Near future: -Staff workingpaper on long term care • will come out mid 2011 • will provide an analysis of state of play on long term care needs - Focus on 4 main topics: • funding of care provision • long term care from a patients and informal carers perspective • the potential of new technologies • job creation and long term care provision -European Year of Volunteering 2011 -European Year of Active Ageing 2012

14. Also relevant: • PROGRESS programme (addressing employment, social protection/inclusion, working conditions, non-discrimination, gender equality) • Structural Funds • Health initiatives • Disability initiatives • Health workforce initiatives • ….

15. European ParliamentInterest Group on Carers

16. In order to influence EU policy… …strong links with the EU institutions are needed …the EU institutions open to co-operation …the European Parliament is best partner and can:  produce Own Initiative reports on our issues  amend Commission legislative proposals  put critical questions to the Commission  and: Parliament’s powers are 

17. What is an Interest Group? An informal cross-party, cross-country group, providing a forum for debate and initiating policy action • Brings together MEPs with a common interest in a specific issue/policy field: - to discuss EU level issues related to this field - to take initiatives that can lead to/influence policy initiatives • Composed of MEPs representing the various political factions and nationalities

18. Aims: • A forum for debate: to discuss and debate European policy development for their impact on carers and their interests • Initiating policy action: to take initiatives that can lead to/influence EU policy initiatives, i.e. Parliamentary Questions, amending policy proposals, discussions with the relevant policy makers, host events/hearings on carers and their interests

19. Having an Interest Group: • helps to put carers issues higher on the EU agenda • provides direct access to an internal ‘pressure group’ within the Parliament • allows Eurocarers to call on MEPs to support policy initiatives, change Commission proposals, host and organise events • provides Eurocarers with a direct link to the EU policy agenda • helps raise awareness and visibility of Eurocarers

20. How does it work? • Chair: Marian Harkin MEP (IRL – ALDE) • Some 35 MEPs support the Group • 2 – 3 meetings a year • secretariat offered by Eurocarers: planning, preparation, organisation and follow-up of meetings, assistance with Parliamentary initiatives…

21. Examples of recent Parliament actions (over the last three months) • Input in Resolution on long term care • Input in Resolution on demographic change • Amendments to EU 2011 budget (awaiting adoption) • Commissioner Andor participation in IG meeting • Letters to Commissioners on various issues • Input in older women’s Resolution • Input in Alzheimer’s report

22. Thank you!