Memo: Digital Agenda: Kroes, Dalli and Geoghegan-Quinn welcome Council endorsement of ageing research joint programme

The agreement to launch the Joint Programming Initiative on 'More Years, Better Lives' at the EU's Council of Ministers on Competitiveness on 30th September has been welcomed by Neelie Kroes, European Commission Vice-President for the Digital Agenda, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Commissioner for Research and Innovation and John Dalli, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy.

The Council's endorsement followed the adoption of a Commission Recommendation on the initiative in July 2011. The initiative will coordinate research in the field of demographic change and population ageing. Examples of such research include how to retain people in the labour market, how to help older people remain active for as long as possible, in good health and with a better quality of life and how to make Europe's future care systems sustainable.