Ensuring active ageing, i.e. the optimisation of opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age, is an important growth strategy for the EU. Achieving a successful active ageing policy will require a sea change in thinking about what ageing...

This paper first questions the universal process whereby what should be welcome demographic change leading to societal ageing has been transformed into a crisis of the welfare state. It then focuses on five key policy challenges -- ensuring economic security in old age; maintaining...