Perspectives and Challenges of European Ageing

Author(s):  
Martin Zsarnoczky

Improving the life quality of the European population is an important goal set in the cohesion policy, which is valid for the whole of the European Union’s territory. The cohesion policy of the European Union strengthens the kind of European solidarity through which geographically different social groups receive similar opportunities to improve their life quality and well-being. To reach this positive goal, the accessibility programs created by the European Union are highly important. The ideology of European accessibility determines complex strategic objectives and imbues these with useful content. The group of elderly people is one of society’s accessibility groups, whose representation will be more and more prominent in the future due to European demographic changes. Member states of the European Union have different approaches to the growing role of seniors in society, which is partly due to their cultural traditions. These viewpoints may provide different answers regarding the processes of ageing, however, the appropriate care of the elderly is a joint social responsibility of each of the member states. The shifting dialogue between generations can be viewed as a positive change, nevertheless, other environmental influences can affect the processes. These environmental impacts can be factors that contribute to ageing. The complex research results of these show that, despite previous stereotypes, during the biological ageing of the human body there is a healthy ageing process in which activity, vitality, success, happiness, well-being and the quality of life play a substantial role. We have studied a group of seniors who have exceptionally active lives and extraordinary results in Hungary. The results of this Hungarian group of seniors show which factors and individual impressions in a local environment contribute to a high-level life quality, which can be an outstanding example and model to be followed by other European senior groups.

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 64-70
Author(s):  
Miroslav Raicov ◽  
Andrea Fehér ◽  
Tabita Adamov ◽  
Sorin Stanciu

The growing competition between different regions, thus their activities performed under both within and outside the European Union represents a fact of the "globalized" world in which we are living. For many years, the regional disparities in terms of development level and life quality were subject to national policies of the Member States. Many improvements have been observed since the European Union initiated the policy of reducing them. The Cohesion Policy of the European Union has an unique irreplaceable role in the coagulation of integrated development strategies, comprising interventions in different areas, such as infrastructure, research and innovation, employment, education, business, environment protection, climate changes and energy efficiency within a package of coherent policies addressing to regional or even local context, being one of the most visible policies, especially in what regards the relationship with citizens. Thus, the Cohesion Policy target is represented by supporting the process of reducing the disparities between the regions and Member States more developed of the European Union and the ones that are less developed.


2021 ◽  
pp. 053331642110012
Author(s):  
Antigonos Sochos

In this commentary I argue that the European Union has been functioning as an insecure object of collective attachment for large parts of the European population for many years. According to attachment theory, in relationships of asymmetrical power insecure attachment is formed as the narrative constructed by the most powerful party overwrites the authentic experience of the weakest, generating conflicted representation of self and the attachment object. That attachment object may be interpersonal or collective. The EU narrative on how it safeguards democracy and citizen well-being contradicts the true experience of many Europeans who struggle to make ends meet in neoliberal Europe. On this basis, an insecure collective bond with the EU is established, as the latter fails to recognize and address the needs of many of its citizens.


2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riccardo Crescenzi ◽  
Ugo Fratesi ◽  
Vassilis Monastiriotis

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolai Genov

This paper aims at explaining changes in the conditions for individualization in ten central and eastern European (cee) countries after they have joined the European Union in 2004 and 2007. The expected changes had to follow the transfer of theeu’sacquis communautaireto theceeand the accompanying Europeanization understood as upgrading of governance. Indicators used in longitudinal studies are identified in order to test the assumption. Synchronic and diachronic comparison of outcomes of studies on the topic is carried out. The results don’t support the hypothesis about relevant changes in the conditions of individualization in theceecountries due to their Europeanization. The upgrading of governance quality affects the individualization in the old and neweumember states similarly. Declining quality of the conditions for individualization appears in both groups of countries with the same frequency and intensity too.


Ekonomia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 85-93
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Sawicz

Comparative ana lysis of the quality of life of seniors in selected countries of the European UnionFor more than twenty years, the number of elderly people in Europe has been increasing. This process is called “the graying of the continent”. The aging of societies raises many problems of a medical, social and economic nature. On the other hand, the increase in the quality of life of seniors caused less spending on medical and social care.The article attempts to analyze the quality of life of seniors in selected countries of the European Union. The level of quality of life was examined in economic aspect. Particular attention is paid to the health of the population in selected EU country and the level of poverty. The article indicates countries with the highest quality of life of the elderly and countries in which the quality of life of seniors is low.


Author(s):  
Ida Musiałkowska ◽  
Piotr Idczak

Purpose: The current pandemic crisis caused by Covid-19 significantly impacted the processes of European integration. The European Union decided to act within and beyond existing competences and instruments to support the efforts of its Member States, along with regional and local authorities, in the fight against Covid-19. Our study sheds light on the instruments and solutions proposed within the framework of the cohesion and budget policy to tackle the problems related to Covid-19 in Europe. The analysis focuses on two strands: 1) EU assistance offered through cohesion policy (CP) instruments toward above areas; 2) the future evolution of EU budget, and therefore integration shifts, provoked by the Covid-19 crisis. Design/methodology/approach: The study analyzes statistical data with regard to the use of instruments of the Cohesion Policy under the Covid-19 pandemic, but also the amendments introduced to legal acts and decision-making processes that refer to the multiannual financial framework (MFF) for 2021–2027. Findings: We notice a strong shift of priorities regarding environment transformation, digitalization, and health protection, reflected in the MFF. The coordinative role of European institutions and the redirection of different financial instruments to health care follows the neofunctionalist paradigm and represents a spillover effect resulting from integration. The crisis analyzed from the institutional perspective is seen as a chance to reform the decision-making process, while on the other hand, as a threat to the inclusive integration of all Member States. Originality and value: The paper is an original contribution on the overall use of both financial and legislative instruments in the times of unprecedented health and economic crisis caused by Covid-19 in the European Union. The text can be a valuable insight for both researchers and practitioners in the field of broadly understood European studies.


Author(s):  
Inga Zeide ◽  
Indra Odiņa

The article addresses comparative qualitative content analysis as a part of the grounded theory research to explore the relationship between English language proficiency of economically active adults and their quality of life. Using comparative qualitative content analysis of the policy documents in respect of lifelong learning as main data collection method, the authors of the article aim to identify the relationship between the 21st century skills and indicators of life quality by comparing the sources that define the 21st century skills and analysing them in the context of the “8+1” dimensions of life quality offered by the European Union. The following research questions have been proposed: how 21st century skills are defined in the policy documents and how they relate to the quality of human life. The analysis of European Parliament, Council of the European Union, Word Economic Forum and Eurostat policies, models, strategies and their implementation in respect of lifelong learning reveals existing gaps and points at the urgent need in profiling the development of human skills to enhance human well-being and life quality in Europe. Besides, developing new skills and improving existing ones can be a tool for improving the quality of life in the future, whereas the dimensions of life quality can serve as a prerequisite for skills development.  


2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan-Kees Helderman

AbstractSeen from the perspective of health, the global financial crisis (GFC) may be conceived of as an exogenous factor that has undermined the fiscal sustainability of European welfare states and consequently, their (expanding) health systems as well. Being one of the core programs of European welfare states, health care has always belonged to the sovereignty of European Member States. However, in past two decades, European welfare states have in fact become semi-sovereign states and the European Union (EU) no longer is an exogenous actor in European health policy making. Today, the EU not only puts limits to unsustainable growth levels in health care spending, it also acts as an health policy agenda setter. Since the outbreak of the GFC, it does so in an increasingly coercive and persuasive way, claiming authority over health system reforms alongside the responsibilities of its Member States.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 66-76
Author(s):  
Nataly Carvalho Machado

Recognised as an ambitious step, the European Green Deal guides the application of European Union policies not only in the environmental field, but also in other areas that may directly or indirectly interfere with human health and environmental sustainability, with the aim of transforming climate challenges and environmental issues in applicable opportunities. With the COVID-19 crisis, major challenges have emerged and aggravated extant problems in the most varied societies. In the European Union’s context, the impact of the new pandemic stood out, especially at the beginning, showing different responses by the Member States, in a disorderly and isolated way between one border and another, which highlighted when it would be placed in practice. Member States´ solidarity and responsibility to work together towards an economic and social recovery plan is critical in order to keep European project alive. Therefore, in an attempt to reinforce the link between solidarity and responsibility among Member States, the European Union uses the Green Deal to respond to the crisis through a recovery that has common objectives around the sustainability and well-being of its citizens.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-69
Author(s):  
Teresa Miś ◽  
Dariusz Zając

The aim of the article is to evaluate the significance of the European Union funds supporting the cohesion policy, which the Eastern Polish local governments benefit from in order to improve their residents’ quality of life. Empirical data used in the research concerns five provinces located in Eastern Poland and the research data comes from the sources of the Polish Main Statistical Office in Warsaw. The temporal scope of the study encompasses the period 2004-2018. The choice of the spatial scope of the research is justified by the peripheral location of Eastern Poland, as well as the fact that this region benefits from the EU Programme financially supporting local government units. The article elaborates on the use of the EU funds aiming to enhance the cohesion policy performed by local governments of Eastern Poland and the residents’ opinion on the improvement of their quality of life. The research proves that the provinces of Eastern Poland are particularly qualified to gain financial funding from the European Union due to their lower level of Gross Domestic Product per capita compared to the country as a whole. According to the residents of Eastern Poland, their quality of life has improved and can be treated as comparable to the country’s average, even though slightly worse. The research confirms the elaboration’s hypothesis that the use of the EU funds by the local governments in Eastern Poland results in the increased country cohesion measured by the improvement of residents’ quality of life. This, in turn, constitutes a vital outcome of the European Union cohesion policy.


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