In spite of the current strong emphasis in all EU countries on means to tackle youth unemployment, the participation of older individuals in the labour market remains a significant policy challenge. This is due to the interplay of the current recession, the ageing of the population and the need to control public welfare spending (pensions, unemployment benefits and social assistance). In this context, the European Social Observatory has started a new European Commission-funded project, called Policies for an Aged Workforce in the EU (PAWEU). The project is coordinated by the Fondazione G.
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Within the framework of the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity Between the Generations, the OSE was given by the Federal Social Security, the scientific supervision of the closing conference (27 November 2012) at the Belgian level, as well as preparatory hearings (September and October 2012) that should identify the topics most important. The objective is to propose a course of action and reflection for policy makers.
In spite of the current strong emphasis in all European countries on means to tackle youth unemployment, the participation of older individuals in the labour market remains a significant policy challenge. The OSE and the Fondazione Brodoloni (IT) are involved in a European Commission-funded project on ‘Policies for an Aged Workforce in the EU’. The goal of the research is to analyse the situation of the ageing population in the EU, notably regarding their employability and workability patterns, as well as the reforms undertaken in social protection systems and labour market policies.