Representatives of numerous civil organisations working with and for older persons came together in Leuven for the general assembly and the Annual conference of AGE Platform Europe.
AGE and its members work to promote age equality and advance the rights of older persons across the European Union. The conference took place at a critical moment, as the UN Intergovernmental Working Group mandated to elaborate a new legally binding instrument prepares to hold its first substantive session in July 2026. Building on AGE’s 25 year-legacy we are committed to connect older people’s voices and lived experience with concrete commitments by regional actors to support the Convention’s development and implementation.
During the three days we followed presentations from Eva Schultz, Member of the Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu; Zvezdan Pirtošek, the new UN Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of All Human Rights by Older Persons; Khaled Hassine, Secretary of the intergovernmental Working Group on the Human Rights of Older Persons; Christina Meinecke, Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to the European Union (OHCHR); Idoia Mendia, MEP and Co-Chair of the European Parliament Intergenerational Forum Intergenerational Forum, Spain and others.
Along with administrative issues we discussed various topics of current importance.
The aim of the session on AI was to discuss and further develop the AGE position on digitalisation by taking into account AI and its specific challenges. This is important for our advocacy work at EU level and for the forthcoming discussion on the content of the UN Convention. We considered the AI rapid development and its impact on our societies in almost all areas of life. We talked about the specific challenges caused by AI for older people and the specific benefits. It was important to reflect on the link between AI and the core principles of dignity, equality and non-discrimination, autonomy and independence, participation and inclusion as well as the safeguards needed to ensure that the use of AI supports and respects the rights, lived experiences, and participation of older persons.
The AGE Barometer titled “Older workers and the future of work: Navigating digitalisation, the green transition, and labour shortages” was a topic for another session. It was designed to move from information-sharing to collective action by helping participants turn the Barometers into a practical policy advocacy tool. It analyses the impact of mega trends, naming digitalisation, the green transition, and labour shortages, on older workers. It highlights the need for inclusive policies to prevent the exclusion, value the experience, and adapt work to an ageing workforce across Europe. Key points for discussion included Digital transition: Risk of exacerbating inequalities due to ageism and lack of digital skills; Untapped potential for job retention with inclusive tools; Green transition: Threat of long-term unemployment in declining sectors, but opportunities in occupations that value traditional skills (construction, recycling, maintenance); Labour shortages: Need to integrate older workers to support sectors in decline, while combating ageism. Main recommendations included promotion of continuing education, adaptation of workstations, and valuing intergenerational skills.
