On the eve of the European Elections that will be held on 26 May 2019 in France, the Confederation, representing more than one and a half million pensioners, shared their expectations for the new European Parliament in an open letter to candidates.

In an email addressed to political parties and journalists, the Confederation emphasized the undeniable contribution senior citizens make to the economic and social life. In accordance with the European Pillar of Social Rights adopted in Gothenburg, Sweden on 17 November 2017, the 200 million people aged 50+ in Europe must be recognized for their capacity to actively participate in society and enabled to do so.

Thus, the French Confederation of Retired Persons calls for:

• A formal recognition of the full citizenship of older people, their rights and needs, through their participation in decisions that affect them and through the official recognition of the representativeness of organizations that have a voice;
• Support for their professional commitment through measures to encourage them to remain in employment, access lifelong learning, benefit from gradual career ends and cope with the constraints linked to care responsibilities;
• Measures to ensure that all people have incomes compatible with full social integration, nutrition, housing and care provision that promote healthy and active ageing;
• Access for all seniors to goods and services, whether through the adaptation of transport and housing, accessibility to digital services, or the maintenance of traditional access (telephone, postal mail) to public and care services.

The full letter by the Confederation of Retired Persons can be found online (in French): https://www.retraite-cfr.fr/elections-europeennes-2019-la-cfr-sadresse-aux-candidats/