In the third quarter of 2017, half of all Belgians aged 55 to 64 were in employment, according to statistics from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), quoted on Friday by De Tijd and L’Echo. This is a significant increase, especially compared to 10 years ago, when only a third of the over-55’s were actively involved in the job market. The increase is due in particular to the constant tightening of the rules governing early retirement, the newspapers reported.
Belgium's statistics are improving, but it still lags behind its neighbours where over-55 employment is concerned. "While 50% of the over-55’s work in Belgium, in Germany it’s 70% and in the Netherlands, 66%,” says Stijn Baert, labour market economist at the University of Ghent.
The overall employment rate in the working-age population (15-64 years) is 63% in Belgium. In the European Union, only Greece, Italy and Spain score lower.
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The Brussels Times
