30.7.2008 Official Journal of the European Union L 201/49 DECISIONS ADOPTED JOINTLY BY THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL DECISION No 742/2008/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 9 July 2008 on the Community’s participation in a research and development programme undertaken by several Member States aimed at enhancing the quality of life of older people through the use of new information and communication technologies (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Articles 169 and 172, second paragraph, thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee, Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (1), Whereas: () Decision No 1982/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) (%) (here- inafter referred to as the Seventh Framework Programme) provides for Community participation in research and development programmes undertaken by several Member States, including participation in the structures  created for the execution of those programmes, within the meaning of Article 169 of the Treaty. The Seventh Framework Programme has defined a series of criteria for the identification of areas for such (") Opinion of the European Parliament of 13 March 2008 (not yet Article 169 initiatives: the relevance to Community objectives, the clear definition of the objective to be pursued and its relevance to the objectives of the Seventh Framework Programme, the presence of a pre- existing basis (existing or envisaged national research programmes), European added value, a critical mass with regard to the size and number of programmes involved and the similarity of activities they cover, and the efficiency of Article 169 as the most appropriate means for achieving the objectives. Council Decision 2006/971/EC of 19 December 2006 concerning the Specific Programme ‘Cooperation’ im- plementing the Seventh Framework programme of the European Community for research, technological de- velopment and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) () (hereinafter referred to as the Specific Programme ‘Cooperation’) identifies an Article 169 initiative in the field of ambient assisted living as one of the fields suitable for Community participation in national research programmes jointly implemented on the basis of Article 169 of the Treaty. In its Communication of 1 June 2005 entitled 12010 — A European information society for growth and employment, the Commission proposed to launch a flagship initiative on caring for people in an ageing society. In its Communication of 12 October 2006 entitled ‘The demographic future of Europe — from challenge to opportunity’, the Commission underlined the fact that demographic ageing is one of the main challenges facing all countries in the European Union and that increased use of new technologies could help to control costs, improve well-being and promote the active participation in society of elderly people, as well as improving the competitiveness of the European economy, in support of the revised Lisbon Strategy for published in the Official Journal) and Council Decision of 23 June growth and jobs. 2008. () O] L 412, 30.12.2006, p. 1. () O] L 400, 30.12.2006, p. 86.