Member States’ employment and social affairs ministers, meeting in Luxembourg on 19 June, will adopt a series of conclusions, notably on supporting older people in reaching their full potential in the labour market and in society, and on gender equality in the AI-driven digital age.
The meeting on 19 June will be devoted in part to the attempt by the Polish Presidency of the EU Council to reach agreement on the directive on quality traineeships (see other news). A progress report will be presented on the directive on equal treatment.
With regard to ‘older’ people (over 55, depending on the definition used), the text points out that demographic ageing is one of the structural challenges to competitiveness and growth facing Member States. According to Eurostat data, in 2024, people aged 65 or over accounted for 21.6% of the EU population, a proportion that is set to reach 30% by 2060. Over the same period, the proportion of people aged between 15 and 64 is expected to decrease from 63.8% to 56.6%. As a result, the dependency ratio is set to rise steadily, from 33.9% in 2024 to 59.7% in 2100.
The conclusions are expected to call on Member States and the European Commission to “consider in the forthcoming new European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan how to effectively promote active ageing policies encouraging older Europeans to voluntarily extend their working life and how to promote opportunities for economic growth and job creation resulting from the development of the ‘silver economy’”. This could contribute to improving the efficiency and sustainability of public finances, addressing labour shortages and strengthening the EU’s competitiveness, ensure the adequacy of social protection, as well as promoting intergenerational fairness and solidarity”.
They should also help to combat ageism and negative stereotypes in all areas of society with regard to older people in general and older workers in particular, by raising awareness of the importance and added value of the active participation of older people in economic, family and community life.
It is also necessary to “address the challenges faced by older women and promote policies that ensure opportunities and support for their active participation in the workforce, career progression, lifetime earnings, and income in retirement. Policies should take into consideration in particular the disproportionate share of caring responsibilities borne by women and foster the equal sharing of caring responsibilities between women and men”.
And “promote the prolonged voluntary economic and social engagement of older people”.
Links to the draft conclusions on older people and gender equality in the context of AI: https://aeur.eu/f/h7e ; https://aeur.eu/f/h7f (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)