Elena, 72, arrives at a city planning meeting with ideas from decades of community work. But no one asks for her input. Her immense and hard-earned experience is dismissed as “outdated.”

This isn’t the future we promised.

Ageism quietly undermines older people’s rights and contributions. It limits access to employment, lifelong learning, housing, healthcare, and participation in public life. Despite slowly growing awareness, it remains overlooked in policy and practice.

But imagine a different reality.

Elena co-leads the planning meeting, bringing her insights into sustainability and inclusion. She mentors younger colleagues and takes part in EU-funded initiatives that celebrate intergenerational cooperation. She is respected, not sidelined.

This future is possible but only if we act.

To build a true Union of Equality, the EU must challenge ageist narratives and dismantle barriers that prevent equal participation across all ages. To this end, AGE Platform Europe calls for a dedicated EU Action Plan to Combat Ageism as part of the Intergenerational Fairness Strategy.

Let’s close the gap between what is and what could be.