We had monthly zoom meetings and have developed three position papers:
In January, one on mobility, because this is an issue that concerns many older people: trip hazards on the paths, e-scooters lying around, insufficient accessibility on buses and trains.
In May we published a paper on affordable and accessible housing, because the EU is working on a comprehensive paper. Our paper has been submitted to the Green Party, which has also drafted a paper for the commission.
In July our latest position paper on Gaza.
We sent the papers to EGP, distributed them within our networks and posted them on our website.
In addition, a webinar on mobility was held, which served as the basis for the position paper.
Another webinar was held on affordable housing together with two MEPs, from Finland (Maria Ohisalo) and Luxembourg (Tilly Metz).
In order to network even better, we have become an observer member for one year at AGE, a European network with a wide variety of senior citizens’ organisations.
We have grown and will represent at the end of the year 9 countries on theEGS board:
Gaby Damjanovic (Vice Chair, Luxembourg), Irmgard Seidler (General Secretary, Austria), Christa Möller-Metzger (Chair, Germany), Erwin Schaefer (UK), Pirkko Telaranta (Finland), Kerstin Andersson (Sweden), Rodica Bărbuță (România).
Robert Crivit (Belgium) is our candidate for treasurer and is available for election as a member at the General Assembly, as is Henk Nijmeijer (Netherlands).
Gaby and Christa will work as Co-Chairs. Kerstin will be the deputy of Irmgard as General Secretary. We will fix this later in our statutes.
Our most importantgoal is to grow, to have more members and be more visible so that we can serve Europe’s older generation even better.
We campaigned in various countries during the European elections.
In July EGS vice-chair Christa Möller-Metzger and EGS chair Jan Kris Fierens were in Brussels, to see EGP, the European Green Party. We met Benedetta de Mar (General Secretary), Anna Yeliseyeva
(Financial Director) and Eliina Pinto (from the Committee responsible for the networks, with zoom).
Our initial focus was on further cooperation, as we believe that mutual support is a win-win situation for EGP and European Green Seniors.
Demographic change is here: a quarter of the population in Europe is over 60, and the number of very elderly people in particular is growing. We need answers to this challenge.
We gave a follow up on our EGP-meeting with three themes we want to discuss with other EGP-groups such as the Young Greens, the diversity group, the gender-group … We gave our ideas at the beginning of september.
1. Close the gap between rich and poor
2. Stop Ageism
3. Rolling back the shift to the right
Ageism is to be incorporated into the joint workshop with the Committee of the Regions and FYEG in Lisbon (see below).
Homepage: Our host Emerion for the homepage was sold to Easyname, so we had to change to Easyname. Our computer expert Frank Spade helped us and is our Admin together with Christa. Christa regularly publishes posts on our website and on Facebook.
In September, to our great sadness, our esteemed president, Kris Fierens, passed away. A great loss for EGS.
He was president and treasurer in one person and had closed ourbank account because it was so complicated to use. Transfers from other countries were repeatedly rejected.
Unfortunately, he did not manage to find a new bank. We therefore urgently needed a new treasurer, preferably from Belgium. Kris wife Frieda sent the EGS-money (2600 Euro) after his death to Christa.
Christa and Gaby were voted chair and co-chair on 24.11.25 until the general assembly in Lisbon. They are also responsible for the EGS money until then.
Our statutes are recognised and published under Belgian law.
Our new treasurer (see above) will look for a new bank as soon as possible and reopen our account.
Then the various member countries can transfer their contribution of 400 euros. And Christa will sent the amount of 2600 Euro asap to the new EGS account.
EGP congress in Lisbon from 5th to 7th December with Irmgard, Gaby, Christa, Kerstin, Pirkko, Erwin and Kerstins deputy Vivianne. With a stand and a general assembly and a coworkshop on generational fairness with the committee of the regions, FYEG and EGS on the 5th.
Time sequence 2025
6.1.25 Initial meeting with MEP Rasmus Andresen, who is happy to help us stay in touch with EGP and advises us to focus on the issue of affordable housing, as a commission is being set up to address this issue.
18.2.25 Zoom meeting with the board and various interested parties.
25.2.25 Zoom meeting and email exchange with AGE Platform begins and we consider becoming a member.
31.3.25 Zoom meeting with the board on housing.
28.4.25 Online meeting of Green Seniors to discuss our position paper on affordable, accessible housing. MEPs Maria Ohisalo from Finland and Tilly Metz from Luxembourg are present.
29.5.25 Zoom meeting on AGE Platform and our meeting (Kris and Christa) with EGP in Brussels.
The statutes have been published and Kris wanted to make a bank appointment in two weeks.
23.6.25 Zoom meeting with the board, discussion on whether we are comparable to the GJ, preparation for the General Assembly.
15.7. Visit to Brussels of Kris and Christa from EGS to meet Anna Yeliseyeva, Benedetta de Mar and Elina Pinto (online).
21.7.25 Online General Assembly, Gaby is now a board member, everyone else re-elected.
20 August 2025 Zoom meeting with the board about the bank account (without Kris).
15. September 2025 Zoom meeting about deputies, planning for Lisbon.
30. September 2025 Kris has died.
13. October 2025 Zoom meeting about our structure, bank, Lisbon, deputies.
Zoom-Discussions with EGP, Anna Yeliseyeva, who gave us tips on how to open an account and told us that we can also have the countries pay for the things we need. Each country pays a contribution of 400 euros per year to EGS.
Positive contact with Elina Pinto, who is responsible for the networks but resigned in October
24.November 2025 Zoom meeting about Lisbon, for the first time with our deputies.
We have a new candidate for treasurer, Robert Crivit. We will elect him in absentia at the General Assembly. In addition, Christa is standing for election as president and Gaby as vice-president.
We want to create flyers, copy our position papers and publish the annual reports of the respective countries on our homepage.
5. to 7.December EGP congress in Lisbon.
Christa Möller-Metzger
27.11.25
