In 2015, almost 27 million people aged 80 or over (hereafter "elderly people") were living in the European Union (EU), 7 million more than in 2005.

encourage the elderly and people who are disabled or have special needs to choose destinations in Europe, by improving infrastructure and services, and more effectively publicising the services available for such people in the EU;

The elderly are also exposed to a higher risk of poverty compared to the overall population (at 19%) and in a number of countries, the elderly population is particularly exposed to material deprivation.

The initiative contains additional provisions on lis pendens in criminal matters (Articles 1(d) and 3) and the criteria for determining the Member State having jurisdiction.Applying the third mandatory ground for non-enforcement provided for by the Council Framework Decision of 13 June 2002 (Article 3(3)), the judicial authority of the Member State of enforcement refuses to order enforcement if a person against whom a European arrest warrant has been issued cannot, on grounds of age, be held criminally liable for the act on the basis of the warrant under the law of the Member State of enforcement.

This work has been conducted in the two phases of the Technology Initiative for Disabled and Elderly persons (TIDE 1991 - 1993); in the Fourth Framework Programme (Telematics Applications Programme, Applications relating to disabled and elderly persons, 1994 - 1998); and in the present Fifth Framework Programme (Information Society Technologies programme, Applications relating to persons with special needs, including the disabled and the elderly, 1998 - 2002).

More than 20% of the total funding was allocated to Pillar 3, i.e. continuing training, with special regard to the employability of persons of working age.