All countries are being faced with rising retirement ages. Whether their pension systems are pay-as-you-go, fully funded or a combination of the two, the economic constraints resulting from both longer lifespans and sometimes worrisome declines in birth rates have left no choice but to raise retirement ages. Le European Pillar of Social Rights and the Europe 2020 strategy are both aimed at increasing employment rates. Moreover, European social partners have signed an agreement to help older workers to participate actively in the employment market until they reach retirement age.

As part of its recent conference on “active ageing”, France’s Pensions Advisory Council (Conseil d’orientation des retraites, COR) presented two recent Europe-wide studies that decipher the major trends and highlight the effects and impacts of national public policies.

The European agency Eurofound, in its most recent survey, established a connection between the employment rate for seniors and the “sustainability” of work (i.e. high-quality, sustainable work over the life course). While the people surveyed acknowledged an increase in autonomy with regard to working hours and a better work-life balance, they note the difficulties in changing jobs and gaps in updating their skillsets and receiving training. The European Pillar of Social Rights has made education, training and life-long learning its no. 1 priority. For the authors, an analysis of the survey responses indicates that an active ageing policy’s success is determined early on in a worker’s career.

The study also shows that France ranks second (out of 35 countries¹ for the number of people who consider themselves unable to do their current job or a similar one after age 60.

Following a research project with cofounding from the European Commission and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the EU’s Active Ageing Index gives qualitative metrics on active ageing to emphasise seniors’ contribution to their country and to determine the available leeway. The index is based on 22 indicators in four domains: employment rate (by five-year age brackets from 55 to 74), social participation, quality of life, and an enabling environment for active ageing. An analysis of the findings provides explanations for the more positive results in some countries, as well as ways to motivate or guide the countries with poorer performance.

Sweden leads this ranking with an index of 44.9; it posted the highest scores in three of the four domains (including the employment rate). The next highest rankings were Denmark and the Netherlands. Moreover, these three countries are those that, proportionally, spend the most for seniors. France scored 35.8 (ranking it 7^th out of 28), a score attributable to its good results in voluntary activities. Like Germany (which has a higher employment rate), France focuses its public spending on younger workers.
 

The OECD defines active ageing as the capacity of people, as they grow older, to lead productive lives in society and the economy.

¹ The European Union plus Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey