On the basis of the Ambien Assisted Living joint programme, a high-leve panel established to advise the European Commission has launched a public consultation on the issue.

A consultation inviting citizens, businesses and researchers to share ideas on how best to use information and communications technologies (ICTs) to help older Europeans live more independently, and more generally to establish new ways to put ICTs at the service of the most vulnerable members of society, has been launched by a high-level panel established to advise the European Commission on the functioning of the Ambient Assisted Living joint programme (AAL JP).

The Ambient Assisted Living joint programme, which involves both the European Commission and EU Member States, aims to ensure that ICTs permit a more independent and dignified life for elderly people who are socially isolated, frail, suffer from chronic conditions or have disabilities, and inter alia develops new solutions to deal with such problems as preventing falls and supporting sufferers of dementia. Such applications improve older and vulnerable people's quality of life, keep down the cost of social and health care and open new market opportunities for Europe's industry and service providers.

More than € 1 billion is being invested by the public and private sector in Europe in research and innovation for ageing well: some €600 million in the AAL joint programme (AAL JP), approximately €400 million in the EU's research framework programme and more than €50 million so far in the EU's ICT Policy Support Programme. The AAL JP initiative also targets innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with SMEs accounting for approximately 40% of AAL JP participants.

The AAL JP brings together 20 EU Member States (Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK), three associated countries (Israel, Norway and Switzerland) and the European Commission. It supports solutions that can be launched on the market in two to three years and become commercially viable. This brings new business opportunities and huge savings in the cost of social and health care.

Background

The Commission's participation in the Ambient Assisted Living programme results from a 2007 action plan on "Ageing Well in the Information Society". Its goal is to strengthen research cooperation between Member States through matching EU funds.

The ongoing interim evaluation is a legal requirement of the Decision of the European Parliament and Council of 9 July 2008. The Commission will communicate the conclusions of the interim evaluation and its observations to the European Parliament and the Council by the end of 2010.