Best Wishes for a Merry Christmas and Happy 2026

As 2025 draws to a close, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude and warmest wishes to all our Members and Representatives — for your dedication, your energy, and the many achievements we have realised together this year.

2025 has been a very special year for ESU. We celebrated 30 years of our organisation’s commitment to seniors’ rights, dignity and active participation in Europe — most notably during the anniversary gathering in Ciudad Real, where we adopted the Ciudad Real Strategic Action Plan 2030. That Plan now provides us with a clear and forward-looking roadmap, underpinning our mission to champion an age-friendly Europe, strengthen intergenerational solidarity, and amplify the voice of seniors across all Member States.

Throughout 2025 we have continued to uphold the core values of ESU — respect, fairness, dignity, solidarity and equal rights.  From promoting active ageing, fighting age-discrimination, to advocating for inclusive policies on pensions, care, digital inclusion and social protection — your commitment to these causes has never wavered. 

Thanks to your efforts, ESU remains the leading European seniors’ organisation within the European People’s Party (EPP), representing over a million members across 27 countries. 

As we prepare to turn the page to 2026, we want to encourage you to carry forward the momentum. With the Strategic Action Plan 2030 now adopted, we are well positioned to translate our shared vision into concrete action, to implement our annual work-plans under its guidance, and to reinforce our role as a strong, unified, intergenerational voice for seniors in Europe.

Over the winter holidays, your organisation will receive paper copies of the Annual Report 2025, as well as our so-called Workbook for our Strategic Action Plan 2030, it recalls how we proceeded to establish the Strategic Action Plan, together with all the background documents, as well as some guidance for the future elaboration of the 2026 Workplan. 

May the coming year bring you and your loved ones health, happiness, and renewed energy. I look forward to seeing all of you again — online and in person — as we embark on a new cycle of engagement and solidarity in 2026.

With warm wishes and deepest respect.

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Events in 2025

Ciudad Real shines as ESU celebrates 30 years

Ciudad Real

Ciudad Real shines as ESU celebrates 30 years

Celebrating 30 Years of the European Seniors’ Union

Ciudad Real - Spain

Celebrating 30 Years of the European Seniors’ Union

A New Chapter in Financial Stewardship — Building Together for All Generations

Ciudad Real

An interview with ESU’s newly appointed Treasurer: Gnanam Seminck

Building a Europe That Values Every Age

Ciudad Real - Spain

Building a Europe That Values Every Age

Retirement Means New Beginnings

Strasbourg - France

Retirement Means New Beginnings

ESU SUMMER ACADEMY 2025: LATEST UPDATE

Bruges - Belgium

ESU SUMMER ACADEMY 2025: LATEST UPDATE

ESU's Summer Academy 2025 - Meeting Report

Bruges - Belgium

ESU's Summer Academy 2025 - Meeting Report

Interview with Manfred Hopfengärtner, Vice-President of the European Seniors’ Union (ESU)

Munich

Interview with Manfred Hopfengärtner, Vice-President of the European Seniors’ Union (ESU)

Interview with Patrick Penninckx: A Lifelong Commitment to Democracy and Dignity in the Digital Age

Vallée du Valgaudemar

Interview with Patrick Penninckx: A Lifelong Commitment to Democracy and Dignity in the Digital Age

Stefaan Vercamer Reflects on his Presidency

Bruges

One Year at the Helm - Stefaan Vercamer Reflects on his Presidency of the European Seniors’ Union

Age with Impact: Peter Mach’s Passion for Civic Engagement

Strasbourg

Age with Impact: Peter Mach’s Passion for Civic Engagement

An Interview with Antonios Demetriades: Championing Senior Care and Community in Cyprus

Cyprus

An Interview with Antonios Demetriades: Championing Senior Care and Community in Cyprus

Safeguarding the Future: A Conversation with ESU Vice-President Cor Spreeuwenberg

Brugge

Safeguarding the Future: A Conversation with ESU Vice-President Cor Spreeuwenberg

Interview with Ms Carmen Quintanilla Barba: Champion for Rural Women and Senior Citizens – A Vision for the Future of Europe

Strasbourg

Interview with Ms Carmen Quintanilla Barba: Champion for Rural Women and Senior Citizens – A Vision for the Future of Europe

European Seniors’ Union at the EPP Congress in Valencia: A Strong Voice for Europe’s Seniors

Strasbourg

European Seniors’ Union at the EPP Congress in Valencia: A Strong Voice for Europe’s Seniors

Conversation with An Hermans

Strasbourg

An Hermans - 11 years at the head of the 30 years old European Seniors' Union

How Junior Seniors Become Carers For Their Parents And Their Grandchildren

Strasbourg

How Junior Seniors Become Carers For Their Parents And Their Grandchildren

Helping Senior Citizens Thrive in the Digital World: Insights from the Secretary General of the European Seniors Union

Strasbourg - France

ESU - Helping Senior Citizens Thrive in the Digital World

ESU Spring Conference in Bratislava - Confirmation of 3 new Vice-Presidents

Bratislava

The Executive Committee of the European Seniors’ Union held its first meeting of 2025

ESU contributes to Microsoft’s White Paper on Protecting the Public from Abusive AI-generated Content

Brussels

ESU contributes to Microsoft’s White Paper on Protecting the Public from Abusive AI-generated Content

Key Report on Age-Based Discrimination Adopted by the Council of Europe

Strasbourg

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has adopted the report Overcoming Age-Based Discrimination Against Older Persons.

2024 Annual Report

Online

Annual Report 2024

30 Years of the ESU - "Lifelong Active Ageing: An Asset for our Societies"

Bratislava

The ESU marked the start of the 30th anniversary celebrations with a Spring Conference in Bratislava, Slovakia, on 19–20 March

Important Decisions for Presidency Meeting

Online

One of the key points on the agenda is the appointment of three new Vice-Presidents

ESU at the launch conference of the 'European Year of Digital Citizenship Education 2025'

Strasbourg

Patrick Penninckx, Secretary-General, will be a speaker at the upcoming "Empowering Learners for a Democratic Future" conference.

Participation of Patrick Penninckx in the Upcoming International Seminar

Barcelona

International Seminar titled "Labour Shortages: Between Demography and Migration – Responses from European Workers' Organisations".

ESU Representation at the EPP Political Assembly

Brussels

The ESU participated in the EPP Political Assembly, reinforcing our commitment to the interests of seniors across Europe.

ESU - Yearplan 2025 – 30 years ESU

Europe

Yearplan 2025