Brussels, 13/01/2012 (Agence Europe) - Although the year 2012 is the European Year of Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations, two surveys published on Friday 13 January - one by Eurobarometer and the other by Eurostat - illustrate that there is great disparity on this subject within the EU. There is discrepancy not only over the active ageing of the oldest section of the EU population, but also over how Europeans perceive age and the role that age should play in contemporary society.
The European Year initiative aims to adress a demographic trend that has grown more noticeable since the 1960s, namely the considerable lengthening of life expectancy (by eight years on average), coupled to the low birth rate in most EU member states. The promotion of active ageing comes within the context of EUROPE 2020 strategy and the objective of reaching 75% employment among the active section of the population by 2020. This sets a major challenge for governments, especially for social protection systems and the viability of public finance. Current austerity measures make the issue even more important.
The 2012 European Year, which will include various measures and events over coming months, is made up of three sections; - active ageing in work to incite older workers to remain on the labour market; - participation in society or how to promote the development of voluntary work to maintain the intergenerational link; - and independence of lifestyle, this being a project whose main aim is to improve health and therefore an independent life for older persons.
What Europeans think. The new Eurobarometer survey gives a highly contrasting picture on the subject. Although 71% of Europeans are aware that Europe's population is getting older, only 42% are concerned about this development and see it as a problem. The demographic facts are therefore noted but the immediate consequences of those facts are not perceived. Thus, just one European out of three considers it will be necessary to push the legal retirement age up by 2030, although 61% are in favour of easing the rules. Furthermore, Europeans are not alike in the way they perceive youth and old age. There are strong differences from one country to the next. For the Maltese, Portuguese and Swedish, people remain young until the age of 37, while the Cypriots and Greeks consider that the point between the two “ages” comes at 50. The fateful age which, on average, is considered by most Europeans as being an advanced stage in life is 64, while one stops being considered as young at the average age of 41.8. This varies, it must be said, depending on whether views are expressed by men or women. For women, one becomes old from 65, while, for men, one is old at 62.7.
What the data say. Employment of the older section of the population has clearly progressed over the past ten years, much more significantly than among all persons active on the employment market - only 2.1% for those aged 20 to 64, and 10.6% for those aged 55 to 59. In the last category, countries ranking top in 2010 were in the north (Sweden 80.7%, Denmark 75.9% and Finland 72.5%). At the other end of the scale were the eastern countries (Poland 45.8%, Slovenia 46.9%) and southern countries (Malta 49.9%). Disparity, however, is even greater in the 60-64 year old category (at 65 years of age, the average employment rate is 5%). This category is all the more important in that it is the category most concerned by the proposals to increase the legal age for retirement in many EU member states. Although Sweden (61%) and the United Kingdom (44%) have relatively significant results, figures for France (17.9%), Hungary (13%) and Malta (14.2%) bear witness to the fact that they have difficulties in keeping this section of the population in work. Such difficulties are linked to health and to autonomy, as well as to having an adequate age-friendly working environment (training, advantageous tax measures in relation to retirement, etc.).
The year 2012 must therefore be a year of concrete measures to encourage and also to allow older persons to remain in the workplace. Both surveys show that the question of active ageing cannot be summed up as relating solely to the legal retirement age. Although the typical pensionable age is 65, the average age for effectively leaving employment was only 61.5 in 2009. Despite all the difficulties illustrated by the two surveys, Commissioner Laszlo Andor (employment, social affairs and inclusion) remains confident that there will be benefits from the European Year initiative, saying in a press release on Friday 13 January: “I am confident that the European Year will act as a catalyst to mobilise citizens, stakeholders and decision-makers to take action to promote active ageing and to tackle the challenges of ageing in a positive way”. (JK/transl.jl)