11.11.2021
Due on the Corona pandemic, the activities were reduced and activities were reduced to video meetings with the Board .
Nevertheless, ENGS published a paper on Ten points after Corona, which ENGS consider important to achieve in Europe after evaluation of this corona crisis. The corona pandemic has severely tested our society in all countries of Europe. We now clearly see that society needs to be better organized. The lever for this change, post-corona, lies in Europe. Frank Hauser and Agneta Granström participated on the EGP Council in Budapest 3-5.12.2021, attend the meeting and arrange a virtual stand for the ENGS. They maintained physically contacts with various partners.
12.4.2022
During two video conferences with the board members various points were prepared as there are: 1. The yearly GA who take place during the Riga Council (june 2022 ) 2. A position paper on the “Equal rights for all refugees in the European member states.” Prepared by Irmgard Seidler. This position paper was published on social media and goes virtual. 3. ENGS prepared his position on the resolution on the Care of older Persons, introduced by the Flemish delegation for the 35th EGP Council and send his amendments to all the green parties.
1.,2.,3.7.2022
During the Riga Council a General Assembly took place.
The GA confirmed the members of the Board as follows: – Treasurer Kris Fierens, Belgium, until 2022
– Secretary General Reino Lampinen, Finland, until 2022 Board Members:
– Confirmed Christa Möller, Germany, Press officer until 2022
– Confirmed Agneta Granström, Sweden, until 2022
– Confirmed Irmgard Seidler, Austria, until 2022
– Elected Frank Hauser, Germany for three years up to 2024
Elected Erwin Schaefer, England and Wales for three years, up to 2024
Irmgard Seidler and Kris Fierens (the only board members present at the Council due the corona pandemic) participated the CAS meeting treating the resolution of the care of elderly persons. On the end, the amendments proposed by the Flemish delegation ware accepted by the EGP Assemble
26.09.2022
During three video-meetings, Board prepared various points, in preparation on the EGP Copenhagen Congress (1,2 and 3 dec):
1. preparing communication tools, 2. Re-writing the Manifesto of ENGS , 3. Preparing the GA during the Copenhagen Congress 4. Preparing restarting of a board working with a new equip of members. 5. Preparing a physical extra board meeting on Monday 4th in Copenhagen. It is the first physical meeting after three years of video and zoom meetings. The future concrete working and the objectives for the next 2 years will be prepared.
1., 2., 3.12.2022
Participation on the 36th European Green Party Council in Copenhagen – dec 2023,). After Corona, this was the first time for the most board members of ENGS to meet each other in real life. We realised how it is necessary and important to have physical meetings (not only digital meetings) and to have time to exchange experiences and fights as green seniors in our countries. We could extend our stay by one day for an extra board meeting. It was gratefully paid by the EGP. During this Council we had a stand and a Workshop with a PP-presentation : ‘Age friendly Cities and Communities” by Christa Möller- Metzger (ENGS board member and City Councilor Hamburg). It was followed by discussion and exchanging experiences.
The name of the website was changed from European Network of Green Seniors tot https: www.greenseniors.eu/ ‘Greens Seniors in the European Union’ and has been updated and renewed. Several topics were posted as:
o Let’s fight ageism together
o We need a UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons! Climate activists 70plus in Strasbourg
o Urgent need for new and diverse forms of housing for the elderly
o Meeting GroenPlus with Greens MEP in Brussels – European Parliament
o Friendship Bench Austria
During the year 2023: Regular zoom meeting with the board (5 times).
Preparation of the GA (one zoom), Preparation assisting the Extended Congress 2-4 Feb 2024, Elaboration flyers: Manifesto EGS, Age Friendly cities, Amendments on the resolutions EGP, Setting up our website, Relations with EGP
We rework the contain and the presentation of our Manifesto in a 10- point version (a wonderful flyer). It was discussed during the GA (digital) of 25.08.2023) and sent to all MEP of the green party.
7.09.2023
GA of the ENGS as web meeting. With the normal agenda (information of the board, financial report and planning 2023/2024 with the European elections 2024). The following members ware nominated: Kris Fierens as Chair and Treasurer, Irmgard Seidler as Secretary General, Christa Möller as vice-president, Kerstin Andersson, Pirkko Telaranta, Erwin Schaefer as active members.
6.10.2023
On the 6th of October we had a webinar (22 participants) about ageism with the support of EGP. Petra De Sutter a Belgian MEP, give an introduction followed by Valentina Ludwig (Medical School Berlin, Germany) and discussion (Q&A). The webinar could be viewed on you tube later on.
December 2024
Manifesto EGP. In preparation of the European Elections, the European Greens updated the European Manifesto. We as Green Seniors prepared some amendments regarding ageism and pensions. These amendments were sent to our green seniors’ organizations, to the Delegates of the Flanders, the German and the Sweden Delegates, and later on to the Council of Delegates. Tabled by Groen on request by EGS :“As Greens, we will take a stand against ageism in European policies. The group of very old people is currently the fastest growing group in Europe, and we need to be demographically resilient. Therefore, we support measures that promote the inclusion of older people and their participation in policy matters, such as becoming a member in the Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities of the World Health Organization. Tabled by Groen, result of a compromise between Groen, EELV and Bündnis90/Die Grünen: “We want poverty-proof pensions for all seniors in the EU, when they reach their pensionable age. At the same time, we encourage approaches where periods of transition between learning, working, family care, periods of unemployment, free time and retirement can take place at different ages of an individual’s life. “
The two amendments were approved during the Extended Congress in Lyon (1 position about ageism and 1 about pensions) and integrated in the EGP Manifesto.
2-4 Jan 2024
Participation on the Extended Congress (2-4 Febr 2024 – Lyon) with the board members. During this Congress we were solicitated by some people interested in joining the Green Seniors and we had good discussions about it
- We had our GA (in the Congress Center). We discussed and adapted our Statutes (putting the election period and mandates (ENGS) in pair with the rhythm of the EGP, modernizing the statutes and adapt them on the Belgian law. Changing the name of ENGS into European Green Seniors).
- We had a new presentation (flyers and roll-ups) on our stand
- We had a performance/action appreciated by the public, about our 10 points (manifesto)
- We organized a fringe meeting about Ageism. We called this “Importance to construct a European society without ageism and with goals for a more age friendly society” based on our Manifesto as a message from the Green Seniors for the next legislature.
- 20/02/2024 . We, endorsed, the German MEP Terry Reintke and the Dutch MEP Bas Eickhout as leading candidates for the 2024 elections for the European Parliament.
24.9.2024
During the second part of the year, we prepared and discussed a Position paper about Mobility within various zoom sessions ‘open board’ called (all interested green seniors, members or not, can participate). There was an input from various Green Seniors and the green senior groups.
On the 24th of September we concluded with a webinar ‘Mobility’ at 3 pm. with 18 participants from 7 countries.
The final result was published in a handy position paper (also as a consultation document on the website).
6-8 December 2024
Participation with some board Members on the 39th European Greens Congress, Dublin, Ireland. (Kris Fierens – Be, Irmgard Seidler- Austria, Kerstin Andersson- Sweden, Pirkko Telaranta- Finland, Erwin Schaefer England/Wales) and as an invite Gaby Damjanovic from Luxembourg.
• We had a verry creative stand with our documents and a lot of contact with green and green parties.
• We had a performance/action about Mobility (our Position paper) appreciated by the public. Our folder Mobility was largely discussed with members.
• We had contact with delegates and MEP’s and with some new members of the Committee.
28.4.2025
During the first three month of 2025, we prepared (Open Board) our position paper about Housing. Some Green MEP’s are involved in the elaboration of recommendations on the European Parliament. In consequence we had a Webinar on Monday 28 of April and discussed our position paper about Housing with Maria Ohisalo from Finland and Tilly Metz from Luxemburg, both MEP’s, European Parliament for the Green Party.
In Juin we discussed our position about the human rights in Gaza and we published our position on website and facebook.
28.04.2025
Adapted by Kris Fierens , 30th of Juin 2025
