During the seminar on "The challenges of active ageing for sparsely-populated areas and cross-border health and social care" organised by the CoR's NAT commission in Rovaniemi (Finland) on 15th June, Mr Adam Banaszak, EA coordinator for the NAT commission who moderated the session on An ageing Europe: how to do more with less? said: "It is good that an institution like CoR concentrates on this topic in the context of European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations after pronounced itself in several opinions on “Active ageing”, the “Health programme”, the "Health strategy” and on “Solidarity in Health”. The EU's population is changing: Europeans are living longer than ever before, and this trend is likely to continue thanks to medical breakthroughs and an improved standard of living. The economic downturn and cuts in the healthcare expenditure across Europe call for a greater urgency in rethinking and reforming our healthcare systems. We cannot solve the problems of the future with the tools from the past and need therefore to adapt learn how to do better with less."