On 15-16 May 2017, the Maltese EU Presidency hosted a meeting of the Government Group of Experts in St Julian’s, Malta. The focus of the meeting was on the Promotion of the Rights of People with Dementia.
During the meeting, the troika of Presidencies (Malta, Slovakia and the Netherlands) signed a joint statement, calling for continued action by both the Commission and Council in relation to dementia. The statement affirmed the importance of research and of improving the quality of life for people living with dementia and their loved ones and called upon Member States:
- To participate in, promote and support the international cooperation in dementia research, e.g. in the European Joint Programme on Neurodegenerative Diseases Research (JPND) and related research and innovation programmes
- To work together in the exchange and implementation of best practices in dementia care, diagnostics and prevention in, but not limited to, the EU Joint Action Act on Dementia and in the EU Governmental Expert Group on Dementia
- To support persons with dementia to have the best possible quality of life, to live a life with dignity and to participate in society, in accordance with their human rights
- To stimulate and promote the development of a society that supports and accepts people with dementia as worthy members of society
- To support patient advocacy by national and international Alzheimer organisations.