Speaking at AGE UK’s general meeting, which attracted some of the most significant organisations defending older people’s rights including Help the Aged, National Pensioners Convention and Age Concern, Jean Lambert, who is Co-President of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Ageing, said that it was vital to have laws in place, formed through consultations with older people, to outlaw ageism completley.

Jean commented;  “New EU legislations coming into force in the near future are making a start on these desperately needed changes.  Following on from the 2000 directive on age discrimination in employment, the European Parliament were recently presented with a new directive outlawing age discrimination in goods and services.  A law banning unjustified ageism in key areas such as health care, financial services and education is a welcome step forward that I urge the European Commission to take seriously and act upon.

“Today’s society seems to be designed to benefit the youth without any support or need for the knowledge and skills of the more experienced, mature person.  Everyone is entitled to fair treatment and equal rights regardless of their age and serious moves to secure this are long overdue.”

As Green MEP for London Jean Lambert recently welcomed a group of Hackney Age Concern pensioners and supporters to the European Parliament in Brussels to ensure they would get their voice heard.

ENDS

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