SEN@ER Network

Network focussing on the economy generated by senior citizens in Europe

The SEN@ER initiative -Silver Economy Network of European Regions – is a forum for research and reflection on the possible effects of the ageing of the population on regional development.

It aims to raise peoples’ awareness of the ageing population and its positive aspects for the market. Instead of considering this geographic phenomena threat it is viewed as a challenge and an opportunity to boost regional economic growth and improve competitiveness in Europe.

The SEN@ER network is based on the constant cooperation and coordination between the participating regions using different centres. Participating regions carry out their own research and coordinated in conjunction with others and by means of meetings, conferences and working together.

SEN@ER is sub-divided into several special interest groups (SIGs) with the focus constantly being that of senior citizens: Independence, tourism, home care, culture, health and wellbeing, financial services, networks as a new and innovative means of cooperation.

The SEN@ER network hopes to make changes at a regional level that can later be applied at a national level. In turn, the European Union will eventually become a pioneer in terms of providing services for the elderly whilst maintaining the economic competitiveness that activity in this sector requires.

Participating regions have been implementing programmes and research projects since SEN@ER was first created, the results of which are presented in successive thematic meetings. SEN@ER also organises meetings with the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Ageingand has managed to raise various issues of interest for the regions participating in SEN@ER. All of these activities are finally presented at the high-level annual conference.

SEN@ER’s outlined objectives are:

• Improve the quality of life of senior citizens.

• Promote the development of products and services to improve the quality of life of senior citizens, collaborating in developing new employment opportunities and creating jobs.

• Reinforce and gain further knowledge in these types of policies.

• Enable new European regions to join and participate.

Eleven European regions signed the Bonn Declaration “Silver economy as an opportunity for quality of life, economic growth and competitiveness in Europe” in February 2005. Most of these were represented by government and administrative institutions, including the Department of Equality and Social Welfare on behalf of the Junta de Andalucía.

Member Regions
The 16 regions currently participating in SEN@ER are: NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIA, GERMANY; Andalusia, SPAIN; Burgenland, AUSTRIA; Dolny Slask (Lower Silesia), POLAND; Extremadura, SPAIN; Gelderland, NETHERLANDS; Limburg, THE NETHERLANDS; Mid-East Region, IRELAND; Midland Region, IRELAND; Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), GERMANY; Scotland, UNITED KINGDOM; West Midlands, UNITED KINGDOM; Yorkshire and Humber, UNITED KINGDOM; SofIa, BULGARIA; Opolskie (Opole Voivodeship), POLAND; and Limousin, FRANCE.

The following regions have applied to join the Network: Valencia, SPAIN; Catalonia, SPAIN; Helsinki Region, FINLAND; Kujawsko-Pomorskie (Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship), POLAND; North-West Region, UNITED KINGDOM and Thames Valley, UNITED KINGDOM. An accession protocol will be approved for the new regions during the Seville Conference.

Previous SEN@ER European Conferences
SEN@ER holds a high-level international conference annually. Professional experts, researchers, politicians, public social managers and businesses related to the interest groups attend this conference.

The first international high-level conference to be held was in Bonn (Germany) in February 2005. It was entitled “Silver Economy in Europe 2005 – New Products and Services. European State-of-the-art and Perspectives”. The Bonn conference outlined the purpose of SEN@ER and it represented the main forum for debate and for bringing together knowledge on everything included within the senior citizens sector.

The second Pan-European Conference was held from 28 to 30 November in Maastricht (The Netherlands) under the title "Silver Europe…into Gold? Silver Economy 2006 Conference". The news updates and events can be found on the SEN@ER website, www.silvereconomy-europe.org