By Martin Banks - 25th January 2012
People are ready to remain active as they grow older
Lázló Andor
A new Eurobarometer survey shows that 71 per cent of Europeans are aware that Europe's population is getting older.
However, it goes on to say that only 42 per cent are concerned about this development.
This, it says, is in "stark contrast" with the perceptions of policymakers, who regard demographic ageing as a major challenge.
For most citizens who were surveyed, people aged 55 years and older are considered to play a major role in key areas of society.
Over 60 per cent believe that the public should be allowed to continue working after retirement age and one third says that they would like to work longer themselves.
People closer to retirement are more likely to share this view than the younger generation.
The survey comes as the EU last week launched the 2012 European year of active ageing and solidarity of generations.
Commenting on the findings, Lázló Andor, the EU commissioner for employment, social affairs and inclusion said, "This Eurobarometer survey shows that people are ready to remain active as they grow older.
"I am confident that the European year will act as a catalyst to mobilise citizens, stakeholders and decision-makers to take action to promote active ageing and to tackle the challenges of ageing in a positive way."
The Eurobarometer survey covers five areas: overall perceptions of age and older people; older people in the workplace; retirement and pensions; voluntary work and support for older people and an age-friendly environment.
The survey shows how definitions of 'young' and 'old' differ significantly across countries.
In Malta, Portugal and Sweden, people under 37 years are considered young, whereas in Cyprus and Greece people are considered young up to the age of 50.
On average, Europeans believe that we start being regarded as old just before 64 and are no longer considered young from the age of 41.8 years.
Perceptions also vary with age and sex – women feel that old age begins slightly later than men (65.0 years against 62.7 years respectively).
In terms of having a job, only one in three Europeans agrees with the idea that the official retirement age will have to be increased by 2030, even though this is now a clear policy priority in many member states.
However, there is strong support (61 per cent) for the idea that people should be allowed to continue working once they have reached the official retirement age.
Some 53 per cent reject the idea of a compulsory retirement age, but there are huge differences across member states.
Although the typical pensionable age is 65 years, the average exit age from the labour force in 2009 was about 61.5 years.
Some 42 per cent of Europeans believe that they will be capable of doing the work they are currently doing beyond the age of 65, while 17 per cent expect that they will not be able to carry on in their current job until they are 60.
One third of Europeans say that they would like to continue working after they reach retirement age, and the idea of combining a part-time job and a partial pension is more appealing than full retirement to almost two thirds of Europeans.
Around one quarter of Europeans (including those over 55) say they are engaged in voluntary work.
In countries where there is less of a volunteering tradition, a higher proportion of people say that they have helped or provided support to other people outside their own household.
The survey says 36 per cent of Europeans over the age of 55 have provided such support while 15 per cent of respondents over 55 take care of an older family member and 42 per cent have done so in the past.
