This report is an analysis of policy development in relation to population ageing, more specifically the ageing of the workforce in the European Union (EU) and the four European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, in the relevant policy areas, including occupational safety and health, public health, employment, education, and anti-discrimination. It also analyses the various factors that play a role in the development and implementation of policies. Finally, it sets out a number of important considerations for future policy direction. The European population has been ageing in recent decades, and this trend is predicted to continue and intensify: by 2040, the proportion of people aged 65 years or over is expected to account for nearly 27 % of the total EU-28 population. At the same time, the working-age population is also shrinking. These developments have implications for society and socio-economic systems, such as pension systems and healthcare systems, leading to an increase in age-related public expenditure and putting significant pressure on the sustainability of those systems. Governments throughout Europe have responded to these challenges by reforming pension systems and promoting the labour market participation of older workers. As a result, the employment rate of those aged 55-64 in the EU has been increasing over the past 15 years. However, people in Europe are still retiring before they reach official retirement age. The factors that explain why people leave the labour market before official retirement age are numerous and complex. They can be work-related, e.g. linked to working conditions, attitudes and behaviours in the workplace, or a lack of structures and procedures for vocational rehabilitation and return to work. They can also be individual, e.g. related to a person's health, financial situation, family situation or values. Therefore, policy-makers are faced with a major challenge when designing policies to promote extended working lives, namely how to take into account the many different interrelated factors. This report was prepared on the basis of country studies carried out by national experts between September 2013 and June 2014, and the results of expert workshops held in 10 Member States (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland and the UK) between March and June 2014.
