Spark, in collaboration with ICF, is proud to share the publication of a new Study on discrimination on the grounds of age in the EU, conducted for the European Commission (DG JUST).
The study presents the research findings in relation to the prevalence, impacts and drivers of age-based discrimination, including through a review of relevant legal and policy frameworks, and proposes measures to promote age equality. Results are based on a combination of desk research and consultation activities, as well as quantitative analysis of existing datasets.
According to the findings, age discrimination affects both younger and older people. Employment resulted being the most affected area, especially during recruitment, followed by healthcare (particularly for individuals over 75 years old). The main types of barriers identified spanned institutional barriers (e.g., restrictive laws, weak enforcement of existing protections or lack of tailored services), interpersonal barriers such as those arising from stereotypes or the media, and self-directed barriers from the internalisation of these norms. The study also analyses Member States’ strategies addressing ageing, including whether age discrimination and age equality are specifically targeted, as well as their implementation.
Spark contributed to the comparative legal and policy analysis, supported by our network of national legal experts. The final report is available here: Study on discrimination on the grounds of age in the EU – Publications Office of the EU