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Trends In many countries, workers are indeed paid according to their seniority. In this way, employers try to stimulate young people to stay in the firm and to be more efficient. Indeed, if they leave the firm before having gathered access to higher wages they would not receive the “dividends of this compulsory loan” (see Desmet and Pestieau, 2002). On the assumption of credibility towards future generations, the firm will therefore honour the implicit contract. De Callataÿ (2002) shows that when alternative schemes to break this contract exist, employers do not hesitate to use them. The author focuses more particularly on the second pillar of the Belgian pension system and shows that it offers further incentives to early retirement both on the employers’ and the workers’ side. A macro-economic approach is followed by Sneeseens et al (2002). Their study aims at assessing the effect of early retirement schemes in terms of employment creation and destruction. Their conclusion underlines the high cost of measures aimed at reducing the size of the active population even when they are targeted at some specific group of it (e.g. low-skilled workers). Indeed, the authors show that the long-term effect of this kind of measure is to increase labour costs through either direct or indirect mechanisms and that this effect is quantitatively important. Moreover, despite the fact that they often achieve the target of higher hiring probabilities for young people, these measures carry along a considerable decrease in the overall number of people hired. Other authors (see Lypszyc, 2002, Burnay, 2002a; Bonsang, et al, 2002) have analysed the wellbeing, living and health conditions of people having experienced either early retirement schemes or the status of older unemployed. In addition, Burnay (2002b) devotes her study to a sociological portrait of older unemployed. While it is certainly true that early retirement schemes still remain an important pathway out of the labour market – especially for some categories of workers (see Vandermeeren and Thyré, 2002) – the extensive use of these measures has not generally led either to the improvement of living conditions of their beneficiaries, nor to a rise in the employment rates of other groups involved. As a general remark, we can say that only coherent and holistic approaches will be able to deal successfully with the ageing process and its consequences. Raising the employability of workers, counselling them, and improving working conditions in addition to the rational use of early retirement schemes can give the best outcomes. 5. Conclusions: some key issues for the future? The draft Joint Employment Report (European Commission, 2002a) underlines the need for further integration of inclusion policies and co-ordination between the three Belgian regions and the actors at different levels of government. Although much progress has been made, an integrated ageing policy is still lacking in Belgium. A coherent approach to the ageing process should begin with a higher degree of co-ordination in the statement of objectives. While Flanders has set targets for total employment rates to be reached by 2004 (67%) and by 2010 (70%), the Walloon region has set a target for the employment rates of women. However, no target has been quantified for older workers. Raising the participation rates of women and older workers remains an important task in Belgium and initiatives that address regional disparities remain limited in scope. 14 See the report of the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (2002). 15 Relating to this see the report of the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (2002). Better evaluation of policies Evaluation reports of national programmes for ageing workers (e.g. the Finnish one14 ) are useful tools to understand the programmes’ conception, organisation and the results achieved. The number of studies devoted to the evaluation of measures introduced in Belgium is still too low and a major effort should be made in this direction. A comprehensive vision on ageing A broader approach to the age issue is needed, as suggested by the High Council for Employment in Belgium (2002). The decision to participate in the labour market is the outcome of different factors. At the end of a career, this choice may also be affected by generous early retirement schemes. The Belgian “Canada Dry” practices should therefore be considered as a serious obstacle to achieving the target of higher participation rates of older people in the labour market. Their (complete) removal would represent a crucial step in the Belgian approach aimed at reversing the consequences of the ageing process. Finally, only by responding in a coherent way to the different needs of individuals in different life phases, policies can contribute to raise the employment rates, making workers more willing to work, more available on the labour market and more mobile: by favouring a better quality of job, and by reconciling family life, working life, leisure and voluntary activities. The theme of a “generation change” should therefore become the key issue for the future15 . Anna Cristina D’Addio and Ides Nicaise References: Belgian Committee for Ageing (2002), Rapport Annuel Bonsang, E., B. Delahusse and S. Perelman (2002), “Les conditions de vie des prépensionnés”, in CIFOP (ed.), Quinzième Congrès des Economistes belges de Langue française à Charleroi, Commission 4, Charleroi : Centre interuniversitaire de Formation permanente, 21- 40 Burnay, N. (2002a), “Gestions des Fins de carrière et exclusion sociale”, Reflets et Perspectives, n°3/2000, 87-96 Burnay N. (2002b), “Pour une évaluation sociologique du statut de chômeur âgé”, Revue Belge de Sécurité Sociale, 3/2002, 37-58 de Callataÿ, E. (2002), “Retraites complementaires et depart à la retraite” in CIFOP (ed.), Quinzième Congrès des Economistes belges de Langue française à Charleroi, Commission 4, Charleroi : Centre interuniversitaire de Formation permanente, 217-238 D’Addio, A. C. and I. De Greef (2002) “Assessing Unemployment Traps in Belgium”, Working Paper n. 669 , IZA, Bonn De Greef I.(2000), “Les pièges financiers en Belgique. Aperçu de la législation du chômage, des spécificités institutionnelles et études de cas types”, Revue Belge de Sécurité Sociale, n°2,265-330 De Lathouwer, L. (2002) “Le piège au chômage : quelles réformes sociales pour augmenter l’offre de travail?”, Reflets et Perspectives, n° 3/2000 61-75 Dellis, A., R. Desmet, A. Jousten, S. Perelman (2002a), “Micromodelling of retirement in Belgium”, in Gruber and Wise eds, Micro-Modelling of Retirement Incentives around the World, University of Chicago press and NBER, Chicago, forthcoming Dellis, A., R. Desmet, A. Jousten, S. Perelman (2002b), “Analyse de la cessation d’activité en Belgique”, in CIFOP (ed.), Quinzième Congrès des Economistes belges de Langue française à Charleroi, Commission 4, Charleroi : Centre interuniversitaire de Formation 60 Spring 2003 | European Employment Observatory Review
permanente, 97-124 Desmet, R. and J-M Lozachmeur, (2002), “Le depart à la retraite des couples mariés”, in CIFOP (ed.), Quinzième Congrès des Economistes belges de Langue française à Charleroi, Commission 4, Charleroi : Centre interuniversitaire de Formation permanente, 125-139 Desmet, R. and P. Pestieau (2002), “Sécurité Sociale et Départ à la retraite”, in CIFOP (ed.), Quinzième Congrès des Economistes belges de Langue française à Charleroi, Commission 4, Charleroi : Centre interuniversitaire de Formation permanente, 7-20 EUROFOUND (1998) “Managing an Ageing Workforce: A guide to Good Practice” European Commission (2001), Employment in Europe, DG Employment and Social Affairs European Commission (2002b), Draft Joint Employment Report 2002 European Commission (2002a), Joint Report by the Commission and the Council on Adequate and Sustainable pensions, December 2002, draft European Commission (2002c), Employment in Europe, DG Employment and Social Affairs Eurostat (2001), The Social Situation in the EU, 2001 Eurostat (2002a), The Life of Men and Women in Europe Eurostat (2002b), “Social Protection in Europe”, Statistics in Focus, Theme 3, n. 1/2002 Eurostat (2002c), “Social Protection: Expenditures on Pensions”, Statistics in focus, Theme 3, n 6/2002 Eurostat (2002d), The Social Situation in the EU, 2002 Eurostat (2002e), People in Europe Feld, S. (2001), “Labour Force Trend in the EU (2000-2025) and International Manpower Movements: An Initial Outlook”, Liège High Council for Employment/ CSE (2002), Rapport 2002, Federal Minister of Employment and Labour Jousten, A. (2002) “Départ à la retraite: une perspective internationale”, in CIFOP (ed.), Quinzième Congrès des Economistes belges de Langue française à Charleroi, Commission 4, Charleroi : Centre interuniversitaire de Formation permanente, 141-154 Lazear, E. (1979) “Why is there mandatory retirement ?”, Journal of Political Economy, 87, 1261-1284 Lypszyc, B. (2002), “Vieillissement, état de santé et cessation d’activité”, in CIFOP (ed.), Quinzième Congrès des Economistes belges de Langue française à Charleroi, Commission 4, Charleroi : Centre interuniversitaire de Formation permanente, 41-58 Lozachmeur, J-M (2002), “Départ à la retraite du point de vue de la taxation optimal”, in CIFOP (ed.), Quinzième Congrès des Spring 2003 | European Employment Observatory Review 61 Trends Economistes belges de Langue française à Charleroi, Commission 4, Charleroi : Centre interuniversitaire de Formation permanente, 83- 93 Marchand, M. and P. Pestieau (2001), “Le traitement fiscal des retraites complémentaires”, Revue Belge de Sécurité Sociale, 4/2001 879-892 MET (2002a), “L’évaluation d’impact de la Stratégie Européenne de l’emploi en Belgique”, Rapport Final MET (2002b), Evolution du nombre des bénéficiares de l’assurancechômage âgés de 50 ans et plus, Ministère de l’Emploi et du Travail, Direction Statistiques et Publications NAP (2002), Belgian National Action Plan Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (2002), “The National Programme on Ageing Workers, Evaluation”, Reports of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 2002:5 Matheus N., Bollens J., Nicaise I., (2000) “The effects of withdrawal incentives on labour supply: the Belgian case”, First Joint EALE- SOLE World Congress, Milan, June 2000 Nicaise I. (2001), “Traps and springboards in European minimum income systems: a comparison between Belgium, Denmark, Greece and the UK”, Leuven: HIVA, 2001 Nicaise I., (2002) “The impact of the European Employment Strategy on tax-benefit reforms in the Member States”, Paper prepared for the mid-term evaluation of the European Employment Guidelines, Leuven : HIVA / Brussels : European Commission (DG Empl), April 2002 OECD (2001), Employment Outlook OECD (2002a), “Increasing employment : The Role of Later Retirement” OECD (2002b), “Employment Outlook: Statistical Annex” in Employment Outlook Paolini, D. (2002), “Demande de travail et âge de la retraite” in CIFOP (ed.), Quinzième Congrès des Economistes belges de Langue française à Charleroi, Commission 4, Charleroi : Centre interuniversitaire de Formation permanente, 205-216 Sneeseens, H., F. Shadman and O. Pierrard (2002), “Effet des préretraites sur l’emploi”, in CIFOP (ed.), Quinzième Congrès des Economistes belges de Langue française à Charleroi, Commission 4, Charleroi : Centre interuniversitaire de Formation permanente, 167-184 Vandermeeren J-C and A. Thyré (2002) “Reflexions de la FGTB wallonne à propos de la problématique de la fin de carrière” in CIFOP (ed.), Quinzième Congrès des Economistes belges de Langue française à Charleroi, Commission 4, Charleroi : Centre interuniversitaire de Formation permanente, 239-248
Page 1 and 2:
Employment & European Social Fund E
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European Employment Observatory Rev
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Table of Contents Policies Overall
Page 7 and 8:
AUSTRIA The programme of the Austri
Page 9 and 10: FINLAND Essential changes to legisl
Page 11 and 12: At least one quarter of the members
Page 13 and 14: in the event of a third and subsequ
Page 15 and 16: of active labour-market policy, as
Page 17 and 18: Training Networks Programme The Tra
Page 19 and 20: Subsequently, the provisions concer
Page 21 and 22: a strengthening and revitalisation
Page 23 and 24: workers into the labour market as w
Page 25 and 26: This reinforced targeting and resul
Page 27 and 28: BELGIUM The Occupational Immersion
Page 29 and 30: Agreement on converting 10,000 subs
Page 31 and 32: outplacement procedure, its duratio
Page 33 and 34: Integration agreements Another impo
Page 35 and 36: and local job and volunteering oppo
Page 37 and 38: FINLAND Preliminary information on
Page 39 and 40: BELGIUM Harmonisation and simplific
Page 41 and 42: • Returning migrants Eligibility
Page 43 and 44: Playing the generation game: an ove
Page 45 and 46: workers, who have either exited the
Page 47 and 48: e) Finland’s comprehensive approa
Page 49 and 50: Compared with the figures for 1997,
Page 51 and 52: Table 4: Activity quotas by age and
Page 53 and 54: Table 6: Length of unemployment by
Page 55 and 56: 4Prospects In view of the demograph
Page 57 and 58: and is exempted from the obligation
Page 59: The Government is also addressing t
Page 63 and 64: Table 4: Breakdown by age of older
Page 65 and 66: Figure 1: Gender gap in the activit
Page 67 and 68: Figure 5: Effective and statutory r
Page 69 and 70: 3. Recent trends in policies As alr
Page 71 and 72: 3.3 Labour market programmes for el
Page 73 and 74: Figure 1: Population aged 15 and ov
Page 75 and 76: Table 3: Labour market transition r
Page 77 and 78: companies. One of these projects wa
Page 79 and 80: Table 2: Projection of the economic
Page 81 and 82: Table 8: Numbers entering Early Ret
Page 83 and 84: Figure 1: Rate of access to trainin
Page 85 and 86: Germany 1 Introduction As far back
Page 87 and 88: Figure 3: Potentially economically
Page 89 and 90: Figure 5: Take-up of early-retireme
Page 91 and 92: Figure 8: Average amounts paid unde
Page 93 and 94: 64.5% (Hain/Tautz 2001: 365) withou
Page 95 and 96: Table 6: Collectively agreed workin
Page 97 and 98: Strukturbruch und Arbeitsmark-tentw
Page 99 and 100: men (Figure 3). In clear contrast w
Page 101 and 102: Figure 5: Unemployment rates, males
Page 103 and 104: More recent data, provided by Euros
Page 105 and 106: pensions retracted to normal levels
Page 107 and 108: Ireland 1. Introduction This Paper
Page 109 and 110: Table 3: Labour force trends, 1991-
Page 111 and 112:
Table 4: Employment by age across s
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Occupational pensions There are als
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Italy 1. Introduction The EU offici
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Table 7: Activity rates (age 55-64)
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Table 10: Forecasts of employment r
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should take the territorial imbalan
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2. Statistical Data 5 Number of pen
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4.2 Measures to encourage older wor
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6. Conclusions With regard to keepi
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level. No taxes and social premiums
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edundancy scheme by employers. The
Page 133 and 134:
uittreding: early retirement) schem
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Figure 4: Dependency and ageing ind
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Figure 8: Percentage of working age
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Figure 11: Average age of workers l
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Figure 2: percentage change between
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Figure 4: Figure 5: 25 20 15 10 0 -
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100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 Figu
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However, this measure does not cove
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Table 1(a): Employment rate, men, 5
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Figure 3(b): Main Source of income
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4. Policies to stimulate active age
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Appendix Table A1(a): Participation
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Venta • Salg • Verkauf • Pvl
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