Among other things, the report highlights that:
- Europe faces significant skills gaps due to demographic change.
- EU Membership has gone alongside growth in participation of older workers.
- Across Europe, incentives to retire early have gradually been removed, whilst state pension ages have begun to increase.
- Government initiatives to support older workers are often poorly evaluated for effectiveness.
- Governments have not met an EU target set in 2001 to achieve 50% employment rate of older workers by 2010.
- Achieving gender equality.
- Skilling up the older workforce.
- Supporting older people in the recession.
- Matching demand and supply in the labour market.
- Tackling ageism.
- Improving health. One of the biggest challenges facing the working longer agenda is poor health of older workers.
- Recognising the diversity of the working experience.