30 January 2016
Others
With the support of the European CIP ICT PSP Programme and the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing, the AFE-INNOVNET Thematic Network mobilised 351 public authorities, civil society organisations, universities, research centres and businesses throughout Europe, the Regional Government of Biscay and the University of Deusto among these. The Network developed a number of tools aimed at helping public authorities adapt their physical and social environments to population ageing. Most importantly, it aimed at launching the Covenant of Demographic Change, which will gather national, regional and local public authorities, as well as other stakeholders interested in promoting age-friendly environments as a response to Europe’s demographic change. It will become an international non-for-profit organisation established under the Belgian law and will work in close cooperation with the World Health Organisation Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities.
The Covenant was successfully launched on 7th December at the Committee of the Regions in Brussels, with the presence of two representatives from the Regional Government of Biscay and the University of Deusto, and signed in Brussels on the 29th January 2016. 112 public authorities, civil society organisations and businesses, coming from 23 countries, including 44 national, regional and local public authorities have already joined it.
The University of Deusto and the Regional Government of Biscay have been elected members of the First Board of the European Union Covenant on Demographic Change. Sergio Murillo, Director-General for Personal Autonomy Promotion of the Regional Government of Biscay, has been nominated as the Treasurer of the association, while Toñi Caro, Director of the International Research Project Office, is one of the ten members of the Board of Directors.
