The transition from a largely passive to a more active political orientation among older people was echoed (and encouraged) by policy makers at both local and national levels. The EU played a leading role in facilitating the articulation of this new approach by and to older people through the 1993 European and 1999 UN years. In particular the outline of a new approach to active ageing in the latter provided a radical statement about the potential of active ageing to reflect, on the one hand, the discourses arising, bottom-up, from older people and being reinforced by those with scientific expertise in health and well-being and ageing, on the other, those coming, top-down, from policy makers concerning the economic sustainability of the EU's social protection systems. In other words, active ageing is that rare policy concept that can unify the interests of all key stakeholders: citizens, NGOs, business interests and policy makers. While the significance of ICT for this policy have not been proclaimed until very recently there is an expectation of increasing pressure for action on this front at EU and Member State levels. For various reasons the comprehensive vision of active ageing set out in 1999 has not been reflected in EU policy instruments or actions. Therefore a fresh approach may be necessary to re-orientate active ageing discourses from their dominant focus on employment to a broader, more comprehensive, one on participation.