WG2: Judicial-Legal: Berlin Meeting
COST IS1402: Ageism from a multinational, interdisciplinary perspective
Minutes from WG 2 Judicial/Legal Ageism:
The Berlin Meeting
The 2nd meeting of the Work Group 2 (WG2) of the COST action IS1402 on
Judicial/Legal aspects of Ageism took place on September 10-11 at the Dietrich
Bonheffer Haus Hotel, in Berlin, Germany. The list of attendees and working agenda
are as follows:
Attendees
Chair:
Prof. idoron@univ.haifa.ac.il
Israel
(Issi)
Doron
Chair: Ms. Nena nena.georgantzi@ageGeorgantzi
platform.eu
University of Haifa
Israel
National
Ireland
University
of
Ireland Galway/
AGE
Platform
Europe
WG chair:
Ms. Marijke De
Pauw
Martina Axmin
Dr. Rosie Harding
Marijke.De.pauw@vub.ac.b
e
Martina.axmin@jur.lu.se
r.j.harding@bham.ac.uk
Belgium
MC Substitute
Sweden
UK
WG member
WG member
Dr. Felipe
Temming,
Ms. Bridget Sleap
felipe.temming@unikoeln.de
bsleap@helpage.org
Vrije Universiteit
Brussel,
Lund University
Birmingham Law
School
Koln
Germany
WG member
HelpAge
international
UK
Dr. Benny Spanier
bennyspa19@gmail.com
University of Haifa
Israel
MC Substitute
(But not on the list
of
the
COST
website)
MC Substitute
(But not on the list
of
the
COST
website)
MC Substitute
(But not on the list
of
the
COST
website)
WG member
Prof.
Barbara mikolaj@us.edu.pl
Mikołajczyk
University
of Poland
Silesia, Katowice
Eugenio
Mantovani
Vrije Universiteit Belgium
Brussel (VUB),
eugenio.mantovani@vub.ac
.be
1
MC Member
WG2: Judicial-Legal: Berlin Meeting
COST IS1402: Ageism from a multinational, interdisciplinary perspective
Agenda
Day 1 = Thursday, September 10
Day 1: 15:30 – 17:00:
Introduction: Issi
Issi – Short update on the OAS + OEWG developments
All participants: Self presentation + updating current research and
activities;
Barbara – Ageism versus Dignity = thoughts and discussion;
Marijke – Interpreting the EcoHR and rights of older persons;
Felipe – Age discrimination in Germany and Europe;
19:00 = Dinner together (for our group)
Day 2: Friday, September 11
9:00 – 10:30:
Short intro on "Self Identity" and Surnames…
Martina - Presenting by the "Swedish Team" + its different research
projects + discussions and potential cooperation
Bridget – Short updates on the UN developments;
Nena – Short updates on the EU developments;
10:30-11:15 Coffee Break
11:15 – 12:45: Practical planning for the future & actual decisions
1. Discussion on our book;
2. Discussion on our conference;
3. Discussion on a "Special Issue" in a scientific journal;
4. Discussion on a session for the Law and Society meeting in USA;
5. Discussion on a session for the IAGG & GSA meeting in San Francisco;
6. Discussion on our internet-based course (MOOC) ;
7. Discussion on our web-site;
8. Discussion on joint research-proposals
9. Discussion on our bibliography:
Afternoon meeting: Full COST meeting: Issi shortly presented a summary of WG2
discussions + Nena presented new development on the EU level.
2
WG2: Judicial-Legal: Berlin Meeting
COST IS1402: Ageism from a multinational, interdisciplinary perspective
Part 1: Introduction & Personal Background
The Chair of the WG2, Issi, welcomed participants and explained that way the
meeting will be held. Time was first given to allow members of WG2 to introduce
themselves and their work in the field of ageing.
Part 2: Presentations and Updated by Group Members
During the Thursday afternoon session and Friday morning session, the following
presentations were made:
Barbara presented her article regarding the interconnection between the concept of
"dignity" and the human rights of older persons;
Marijke presented her article regarding Interpreting the European Convention on
Human Rights in light of emerging human rights issues concerning older persons;
Felipe presented his insights re his research in the field of age discrimination and
court rulings in this field by the ECoHR and ECJ;
Martina made a broad presentation regarding the rich activities of the "Swedish"
team in Lund University and the Norma Project (presentation enclosed);
Bridget described the recent developments at the UN level regarding the move
towards a new HR convention for older persons – in general, and the new report of
the Independent Expert in specific (the new IE report is enclosed);
Nena presented the recent developments at the EU level regarding the rights of
older persons.
Action points:
- All presenters will circulate their presentations (see emails to the group)
- The following documents will be sent to all members:
The
Chicago
Declaration:
http://www.jmls.edu/braun/pdf/chicagodeclaration-v11.pdf
The Independent Expert on HR of older persons 2015 report on care and
autonomy: http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/dpage_e.aspx?si=A/HRC/27/46
The
European
"Aging
Report":
http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/european_economy/2014/pdf/
ee8_en.pdf
AGE
factsheet
on
flexicurity
(2007):
http://www.ageplatform.eu/images/stories/EN/pdf_AGE_factsheet_on_flexicurity_final-2.pdf
3
WG2: Judicial-Legal: Berlin Meeting
COST IS1402: Ageism from a multinational, interdisciplinary perspective
Part 3: Future Actions of WG2
During the third part, specific actions and projects were discussed as to how to start
and produce concrete outcomes out of our actions.
List of Operational Decisions
Immediate/short term
-
Book Chapter for the full COST book:
o Issi has submitted a chapter proposal. This proposal will be sent to all
participants. Those who would like to join this chapter – update issi;
Those who would like to submit a new/different chapter – should do
so immediately.
-
Book on "Law, Aging and Ageism in Europe"
o Timetable for the book:
 End of September = decision regarding participating in the
book + proposing the subject of the chapter;
 End of September 2016 = submission of 1st good draft of
chapter;
 End of 2016 = finalizing internal review process and revisions +
submitting draft of full book to publisher.
o All those willing to participate in book to send a proposal of subject of
the chapter by end of September 2015
Session proposal for the coming New Orleans Conference of the American
Law and Society
o Issi will distribute the "call for abstracts" of this conference; Group
members who are planning to attend + would like to present as part
of a COST session = please send an update;
-
Mid-term
- WG2 Conference on Law, Aging and Ageism:
o The Swedish and the Belgian Teams will think and decide about their
willingness and ability to host a small/mid-size conference dedicated
to the topic of "Law, Aging, and Ageism" – that will present our
group's actions and activities. The conference should be around the
first half of 2017;
-
Online course on "law, aging and ageism": The WG will continue to explore
the possibilities in this course of action.
o Rosie & Martina will check the willingness and possibilities of their
academic institutions to "host" this online course and the technical
and financial implications.
o A draft of the structure of the course will be sent again + people are
encouraged to submit their proposals for specific "classes".
4
WG2: Judicial-Legal: Berlin Meeting
COST IS1402: Ageism from a multinational, interdisciplinary perspective
General + Long-term
- Bibliographical list:
o The draft of the existing list will be sent again; Members are
encouraged to update and send more info and references;
- Web-site:
o Materials from the WG, including minutes of meetings will be posted
on the COST web-site;
- Research proposals and Special Issues in academic journals:
o Group members are encouraged to share and submit
joint/collaborative research proposals in our field + share knowledge
about new calls for special issues;
o For updates on ongoing calls for proposals on ageing you may visit:
http://www.age-platform.eu/age-publications-and-otherresources/call-for-proposals or subscribe to AGE monthly newsletter,
through this link: http://www.age-platform.eu/news-press/coverage
- Provide an online training (via coursera or another platform) on European
perspectives on Law, Ageing and Ageism - either as part of or separate from a
general online course on ageism foreseen in the Action’s workplan.
o Such a course could target legal professionals, wider public and/or
NGOs/active seniors who want to improve their capacities to use the
existing framework and litigate in European and international bodies.
o The idea of such course is supposed to fill in the existing gap in
including ‘elder law’ in legal studies curricula; the lack of
understanding of legal professionals of ageing and older people; the
lack of awareness of older people and their representative
organisations of the rights and how to advocate through legal
mechanisms
- Alternatively or as a complement to the above suggestion, to organise in
collaboration with the Academy of European Law (ERA) a training on age
discrimination and ageism in the EU (targeting judges, lawyers and legal
scholars)
- Work towards the elaboration of an index on the rights of older people
- Do a comparative study on international standards, soft law, and domestic
protection of older people in national courts
- Publish on or undertake a project on ‘re-writing’ judgements based on older
people’s human rights perspective
Action points:
- Members need to decide regarding their participation in the book chapter to the
COST book;
- Members need to decide regarding their participation the WG2 book;
- Members need to decide regarding their participation in the Law & Society
Conference in New Orleans
5
WG2: Judicial-Legal: Berlin Meeting
COST IS1402: Ageism from a multinational, interdisciplinary perspective
Next meeting
The next meeting will take place in Prague between 28 and 29 April 2016. This
meeting will be an opportunity to prepare WG2 contribution to the COST mid-term
conference to be held in September 19-20 2016 in the Netherlands as well as follow
up on the above action points. A draft agenda of the meeting of will be circulated to
members soon.
Action points
Chairs to circulate information and agenda about April meeting in Prague and
conference in the Netherlands as soon as possible
6