PURPOSE: to directly support and complement the Union policies in the field of active and healthy ageing.

LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision No 554/2014/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on the participation of the Union in the Active and Assisted Living Research and Development Programme jointly undertaken by several Member States (ALA Programme).

CONTENT: this Decision is part of a package of four legal acts for a new generation of public -private partnerships that will allow large-scale, long-term innovation projects to be carried out under the umbrella of Horizon 2020, the EU's research and innovation framework programme.

Three other public-public partnerships will be further developed on research programmes jointly undertaken by Member States with the participation of the Union in the areas of:

·        a second research and development programme aimed at supporting research and development performing small and medium-sized enterprises (‘Eurostars-2’);

·        a European research and innovation programme on metrology (EMPIR) ;

·        a second partnership programme between European and developing countries countries on clinical trials (EDCTP-II).

Objective: the Decision establishes the rules for participation for the Union in the Active and Assisted Living Research and Development Programme ("AAL Programme") jointly undertaken by Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, in accordance with the conditions laid down in the Decision.

Any Member State and any other country associated to Horizon 2020 may apply to join the AAL Programme at any time, provided it fulfils the conditions regarding financial contribution. 

Programme objectives: the ALA programme has the following objectives:

·        accelerate the emergence and take-up of relevant, affordable and integrated innovative ICT-based solutions for active and healthy ageing at home, in the community, or at work, thus improving the quality of life, autonomy, social inclusion, participation in social life, skills or employability of older adults and contributing to increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of health and social care provision;

·        support the development of solutions that contribute to the independence and alleviation of a sense of social isolation of older adults, in such a way that the ICT component does not reduce human contact, but is complementary to it;

·        develop cost-effective, accessible and energy-efficient solutions, which are compatible with varying social preferences, socio-economic factors (including energy poverty, social inclusion), gender aspects, and the protection and security of personal data.

The AAL Programme should also ensure the promotion of gender equality and comply with ethical principles as set out in Horizon 2020.

Union financial contribution: the Union financial contribution covering administrative costs and operational costs shall be up to EUR 175 000 000. This contribution shall be paid from appropriations allocated to the relevant parts of the Specific Programme implementing Horizon 2020.

Implementation: the Participating States have agreed on the implementation structure for the AAL Programme and set up in 2007 the "Ambient Assisted Living" aisbl, an international non-profit association with legal personality established under Belgian law ('AALA'). The AALA should be used as the implementation structure and should take the role as allocation and monitoring body of the AAL Programme. It should manage the Union's financial contribution and should ensure an efficient implementation of the AAL Programme.

Calls for proposals should be launched at the latest by 31 December 2020. In duly justified cases they may be launched by 31 December 2021. Calls for proposals should also be published on the single portal for participants as well as through other Horizon 2020 electronic means of dissemination managed by the Commission.

In order to protect the Union’s financial interests, the Commission should have the right to reduce, suspend or terminate the Union’s financial contribution if the programme is implemented inadequately.

Evaluation: by 30 June 2017, the Commission shall carry out an interim evaluation of AAL. It shall send that report to the European Parliament and to the Council by 31 December 2017. The result of the interim evaluation of the programme shall be taken into account in the interim evaluation of Horizon 2020.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 27.06.2014.

The European Parliament adopted by 628 votes to 25 with 10 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the participation of the Union in the Active and Assisted Living (AAL) Research and Development Programme jointly undertaken by several Member States.

Parliament adopted its position at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure. The amendments adopted in plenary were the result of a compromise between Parliament and Council. They amend the Commission’s proposal as follows:

Union's financial contribution: the maximum Union financial contribution to the AAL Programme covering administrative costs and operational costs shall be EUR 175 000 000. The contribution shall be paid from appropriations in the general budget of the Union allocated to the relevant parts of the Specific Programme implementing the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme.

In order to take into account the duration of Horizon 2020, calls for proposals under the AAL Programme should be launched at the latest by 31 December 2020.

Any Member State other than participating states and any other country associated to Horizon 2020 may apply to join the AAL Programme at any time, provided it provides for its own co-financing.

Programme objectives: the programme will among other things:

·        accelerate the emergence and take-up of relevant, affordable and integrated innovative ICT-based solutions for active and healthy ageing at home, in the community, or at work, thus improving the quality of life, autonomy, social inclusion, participation in social life, skills or employability of older adults and contributing to increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of health and social care provision;

·        support the development of solutions that contribute to the independence and alleviation of a sense of social isolation of older adults, in such a way that the ICT component does not reduce human contact, but is complementary to it;

·        develop cost-effective, accessible and, where relevant, energy-efficient solutions, which are compatible with varying social preferences, socio-economic factors (including energy poverty, social inclusion), gender aspects, and regulatory aspects, including the protection and security of personal data by applying state-of-the-art privacy-by-design. 

The AAL Programme should ensure the effective promotion of gender equality as set out in Horizon 2020.

Agreements between the Union and the AALA: these should provision for the publication of calls for proposals by the AALA in particular on the single portal for participants, as well as through other Horizon 2020 electronic means of dissemination managed by the Commission.

The amended text also stressed the need to:

·        reduce the administrative charges and avoid double audits and disproportionate documentation and reporting; 

·        assess more precisely the need for white coat jobs (in which about 20 million people across the Union were employed  )and for investments in modern skills, such as using information technologies

Evaluation: by 30 June 2017 the Commission will carry out an interim evaluation of the AAL Programme and send that report to the European Parliament and to the Council by 31 December 2017. The result of the interim evaluation of AAL Programme shall be taken into account in the interim evaluation of Horizon 2020.

The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy adopted the report by Claude TURMES (Greens/EFA, LU) on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the participation of the Union in the Active and Assisted Living (AAL) Research and Development Programme jointly undertaken by several Member States.

The parliamentary committee recommended that the position adopted by the European Parliament at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the Commission’s proposal as follows:

Union's financial contribution: the maximum Union financial contribution to the AAL Programme covering administrative costs and operational costs shall be EUR 166 250 000 (as opposed to EUR 175 000 000 in the Commission’s proposal). The contribution shall be paid from appropriations in the general budget of the Union allocated to the relevant parts of the Specific Programme implementing the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme.

Any entity from any other country associated with the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme may participate in the indirect actions of the AAL Programme at any time provided it provides for its own co-financing.

Programme objectives: the programme shall among other things:

·        accelerate the emergence of relevant and affordable innovative integrated solutions, products and services, including ICT-based, for people with disabilities and for active and healthy ageing, at home, in the community, or at work, aiming at improving their quality of life, social well-being and inclusion;

·        support development of solutions that contribute to the independence and alleviation of a sense of social isolation of older people, whereby the ICT component should not replace human contact, but is complementary to it;

·        develop cost-effective and energy efficient solutions, which are compatible with varying social preferences, socio-economic factors (including energy poverty, social inclusion), gender aspects and ensure the protection and security of personal data. Members argued for the mandatory implementation of the concept of Design for All to ensure the development and deployment of products that are fully accessible for older people, people with disabilities and the broader population as a whole.

·        ensure that all ICT-product and services to be supported shall include features that take account of protection of privacy from the design stage;

·        protect older people from high energy bills and promote solutions improving energy efficiency, including from the perspective of the end-user.

The AAL programme shall otherwise: i) ensure the effective promotion of gender equality; ii) establish a favourable environment for the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises.At least one SME shall be part of each consortium receiving grants under the annual calls. The programme should aim at dedicating 20% of its budget allocated for indirect actions to SMEs.

Conditions applicable to the Union’s financial contribution: Members stressed the need to ensure there be a strong coherence between the activities of the private-public partnerships and the research priorities defined in the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, such as open access, equality between men and women and non-discrimination, as well as ethical principles.

Rules of participation: the report proposes that the time to contract shall be published and limited to five months.

By 31st December 2015, the Participating States together with the Ambient Assisted Living Association (AALA) shall evaluate the existing financing rules and adopt a single set of financing rules to apply to grants signed as of 2016, aiming at reducing the fragmentation and complexities involved with the use of financing rules of different national programmes.

Furthermore, in accordance with the principles of transparency and non-discrimination, calls for proposals organised by AAL JP shall be published on the web-based Horizon 2020 Participant Portal.

Evaluation: the Commission shall organise an independent interim evaluation of the AAL Programme by 30 June 2017 and report to the European Parliament and to the Council by 31 December 2017. The result of the independent interim evaluation shall be taken into account in the interim evaluation of Horizon 2020 Framework Programme.

In order to respond to unforeseen situations or to new developments and needs the Commission may, following the interim evaluation of Horizon 2020, review the programme budget within the annual budgetary procedure.

PURPOSE: to allow the participation of the Union in the Active and Assisted Living (AAL) Research and Development Programme jointly undertaken by several Member States.

PROPOSED ACT: Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.

BACKGROUND: demographic ageing has been identified in the Europe 2020 strategy as both a challenge and an opportunity for smart, sustainable, and inclusive growth. The flagship initiatives “A Digital Agenda for Europe” and “Innovation Union” both address demographic ageing as a priority. In its communication entitled ‘The demographic future of Europe — from challenge to opportunity’, the Commission underlined that increased use of new technologies could help to control costs, improve well-being and promote the active participation in society of elderly people, as well as improving the competitiveness of Union economy.

Decision No 742/2008/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Community's participation in a research and development programme undertaken by several Member States aimed at enhancing the quality of life of older people through the use of new information and communication technologies provides for a Community financial contribution to the Ambient Assisted Living Joint Research and Development Programme (AAL JP) matching that of the Member States but not exceeding EUR 150 000 000 for the duration of the Seventh Framework Programme (2007-2013).

An interim evaluation carried out in 2010 concluded that the AAL JP had achieved good progress towards its objectives and remarkable results. The Commission considers therefore that it should be continued beyond the current funding period (2013) because of its clear added value, in particular for SMEs, in creating the necessary critical mass in research and innovation at European level in the sector for “healthy ageing”. The new AAL JP would build upon the results of the previous AAL programme, provide for the greater involvement of users (a weakness identified in the evaluation), and include more flexibility in its implementation.

It should be noted that the AAL programme is a major component for supporting the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing with ICT-based innovation.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: the impact assessment report took the following options into consideration:

• Option 1 - ‘status quo’: the continuation of the AAL JP for the years 2014 – 2020 along the same lines as the current AAL JP;
• Option 2 - no AAL JP2: no dedicated EU programme and cofinancing to bring together national research and innovation programmes in the field of ICT for ageing well at the EU level after 2013;
• Option 3 - follow-up to AAL JP1: this option would comprise an adapted scope and improved implementation. The scope of the AAL JP2 programme would be aligned to the full scope of the EIP AHA. The level of EC financing from Horizon 2020 would remain the same as under the FP7. This option would also entail higher involvement of end-users, broadening the basis of funding to all actors, and improving the operational performance.

The AAL JP General Assembly concluded by vote that continuing the programme is of strategic importance and 15 out of 23 currently participating countries stated their preferred scenario is the Option 3.

LEGAL BASIS: Article 185 and the second paragraph of Article 188 of the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

CONTENT: the proposal for a Decision seeks to provide the legal means for the European Union to participate in the Active and Assisted Living (AAL) Research and Development Programme jointly undertaken by Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Spain, France, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

The AAL programme has the following objectives:

• accelerate the emergence of innovative ICT-based products and services for active and healthy ageing at home, in the community, or at work, thus improving the quality of life, autonomy, participation in social life, skills or employability of older adults and increasing the efficiency of health and social care provision;
• maintain a critical mass of trans-European applied research, development and innovation for ICT based products and services for ageing well, in particular involving SMEs and users;
• leverage private investments and improve conditions for industrial exploitation by providing a coherent framework for developing European approaches and solutions including common minimum standards that meets varying national and regional social preferences and regulatory aspects, respecting the privacy and dignity of the older adults and, where applicable, supporting access to services in rural and peripheral areas or benefiting other groups of people, such as people with disabilities.

The proposal provides for derogations from the Horizon 2020 programme’s Rules for Participation and Dissemination in order to create a favourable environment for the participation of SMEs.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATION: the maximum amount EU contribution shall be EUR 175 million from the Horizon 2020 DG Connect budget allocated to Societal Challenge 1, theme health, demographic change and wellbeing.

PURPOSE: to allow the participation of the Union in the Active and Assisted Living (AAL) Research and Development Programme jointly undertaken by several Member States.

PROPOSED ACT: Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the European Parliament decides in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and on an equal footing with the Council.

BACKGROUND: demographic ageing has been identified in the Europe 2020 strategy as both a challenge and an opportunity for smart, sustainable, and inclusive growth. The flagship initiatives “A Digital Agenda for Europe” and “Innovation Union” both address demographic ageing as a priority. In its communication entitled ‘The demographic future of Europe — from challenge to opportunity’, the Commission underlined that increased use of new technologies could help to control costs, improve well-being and promote the active participation in society of elderly people, as well as improving the competitiveness of Union economy.

Decision No 742/2008/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Community's participation in a research and development programme undertaken by several Member States aimed at enhancing the quality of life of older people through the use of new information and communication technologies provides for a Community financial contribution to the Ambient Assisted Living Joint Research and Development Programme (AAL JP) matching that of the Member States but not exceeding EUR 150 000 000 for the duration of the Seventh Framework Programme (2007-2013).

An interim evaluation carried out in 2010 concluded that the AAL JP had achieved good progress towards its objectives and remarkable results. The Commission considers therefore that it should be continued beyond the current funding period (2013) because of its clear added value, in particular for SMEs, in creating the necessary critical mass in research and innovation at European level in the sector for “healthy ageing”. The new AAL JP would build upon the results of the previous AAL programme, provide for the greater involvement of users (a weakness identified in the evaluation), and include more flexibility in its implementation.

It should be noted that the AAL programme is a major component for supporting the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing with ICT-based innovation.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT: the impact assessment report took the following options into consideration:

• Option 1 - ‘status quo’: the continuation of the AAL JP for the years 2014 – 2020 along the same lines as the current AAL JP;
• Option 2 - no AAL JP2: no dedicated EU programme and cofinancing to bring together national research and innovation programmes in the field of ICT for ageing well at the EU level after 2013;
• Option 3 - follow-up to AAL JP1: this option would comprise an adapted scope and improved implementation. The scope of the AAL JP2 programme would be aligned to the full scope of the EIP AHA. The level of EC financing from Horizon 2020 would remain the same as under the FP7. This option would also entail higher involvement of end-users, broadening the basis of funding to all actors, and improving the operational performance.

The AAL JP General Assembly concluded by vote that continuing the programme is of strategic importance and 15 out of 23 currently participating countries stated their preferred scenario is the Option 3.

LEGAL BASIS: Article 185 and the second paragraph of Article 188 of the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

CONTENT: the proposal for a Decision seeks to provide the legal means for the European Union to participate in the Active and Assisted Living (AAL) Research and Development Programme jointly undertaken by Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Spain, France, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

The AAL programme has the following objectives:

• accelerate the emergence of innovative ICT-based products and services for active and healthy ageing at home, in the community, or at work, thus improving the quality of life, autonomy, participation in social life, skills or employability of older adults and increasing the efficiency of health and social care provision;
• maintain a critical mass of trans-European applied research, development and innovation for ICT based products and services for ageing well, in particular involving SMEs and users;
• leverage private investments and improve conditions for industrial exploitation by providing a coherent framework for developing European approaches and solutions including common minimum standards that meets varying national and regional social preferences and regulatory aspects, respecting the privacy and dignity of the older adults and, where applicable, supporting access to services in rural and peripheral areas or benefiting other groups of people, such as people with disabilities.

The proposal provides for derogations from the Horizon 2020 programme’s Rules for Participation and Dissemination in order to create a favourable environment for the participation of SMEs.

BUDGETARY IMPLICATION: the maximum amount EU contribution shall be EUR 175 million from the Horizon 2020 DG Connect budget allocated to Societal Challenge 1, theme health, demographic change and wellbeing.