Dear friends,
“ESO (European Senior Organisation) – PES seniors” is the seniors’ network of the PES, the party of European Socialists and Social Democrats. It is the umbrella organization of socialist and social-democratic seniors’ organizations and/or working groups for seniors’ policy within the PES member parties.
With our newsletter, we want to inform you about our actions and positions, as well as some contributions from our members.
You can find our Newsletter HERE
In our second newsletter for 2026, you will find our response to the publication of the “European Intergenerational Fairness Strategy” on March 5. We urge consultation with the Commission and hope that the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers can make adjustments to this.
You will also find our 2025 Annual Report, which we discussed and approved at our General Assembly in January.
There is also a contribution regarding the first meeting session of the UN Working Group tasked with drafting a UN Convention on the Rights of older persons, where ESO was represented and was able to deliver a message.
On April 17 and 18, our party, the PES, is organizing a Global Progressive Mobilisation in Barcelona. On April 17, ESO is organizing a fringe meeting there: “Ensuring political participation by strengthening civil society and political education against the right-wing offensive!” We are reopening the discussion on the role of older persons and civil society in politics. The Global Progressive Mobilisation is being held at the initiative of Pedro Sanchez and the PSOE. We are also drawing attention to Pedro Sánchez’ message against war.
We would also like to draw attention to some specific activities from our member-organisations:
A study afternoon at the invitation of the “Vooruit” delegation in the S&D group of the European Parliament, “Europe and the seniors“, where activists from our Belgian member organisations S-Plus and ABVV-senioren” exchanged views with political representatives on the ESO multiannual programme 2024-2029. An initiative that we would like to recommend to our other member organisations, and also a very interesting and inspiring cross-border initiative for the older persons in the “Grande region”, the border region between Belgium, Luxembourg, France and Germany.
This newsletter is primarily aimed at our partners and political representatives who are committed to senior citizen organizations and intergenerational solidarity. Would you like to contribute to our work, our reflections, and the implementation of our policy proposals and priorities? Please let us know. (eso@socialistseniors.eu)
Kind regards,
Jos Bertrand
President ESO (European Senior Organisation) – PES-seniors