By 2050, Europe’s labour market will face significant challenges as the workforce shrinks by around one million people each year, Andriana Sukova, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, said at the Y50+ Talents forum, held in Sofia on Monday.
Sukova stressed that demographic challenges are not confined to Bulgaria. Children aged 14 and under account for 14.4% of the population, while people aged over 64 make up around 20%. Population ageing is accelerating significantly, she noted. Over the past few years, the share of people aged over 64 has increased by 2.9 percentage points. The trend is most pronounced in Poland, where the increase has reached 5.5 percentage points, followed by Slovakia at 4.8 percentage points and Croatia at 4.3 percentage points.
Sukova noted that a significant proportion of people aged 55 to 64 are already outside the labour market, often against their wishes. One of the main reasons, she said, is the lack of adequate support services and care facilities for older people. The growing share of the population aged over 64 also reflects improved living conditions and better access to healthcare. Nevertheless, health problems remain a major factor contributing to lower economic activity among this age group.
Pension systems also play an important role, with considerable differences between countries, including in retirement ages. Sukova pointed out that other incentives can encourage early retirement. Access to additional social benefits or more favourable pension arrangements can make it easier for people to decide to leave the labour market.
Labour market participation among people aged 55 to 64 varies considerably across Europe. In Czechia, around one-third of people in this age group are outside the labour market, while in Slovenia the proportion exceeds half.
Sukova emphasised that people aged 55 to 64 possess valuable knowledge, skills and qualifications accumulated over many years, and that this potential should not be wasted. They bring extensive practical experience and are often better equipped to navigate complex work processes. Even when they can no longer manage the same workload as before, this does not mean they should be excluded from working life, she argued.
She also highlighted the problem of age discrimination. Employers often seek candidates who can join their young and dynamic teams, potentially overlooking the knowledge and experience of older employees. While the enthusiasm of younger workers is extremely valuable, Sukova said, it should be complemented by the experience and sound judgement of their older colleagues.
During the 2021–2027 programming period, around 2.3 million people have received support for continuing education, she noted. Key measures have included adapting workplaces to employees’ needs and providing subsidies to encourage employers to retain their staff.
Drawing on her experience with various projects and assessments of measures implemented under the European Social Fund during the previous programming period, Sukova identified mentoring schemes pairing older employees with younger colleagues as among the most effective approaches. Such arrangements are particularly important in technical occupations, where practical knowledge and experience can be passed on directly.
For these measures to be as effective as possible, she said, challenges must be examined from different perspectives, with representatives of all groups affected by the decisions involved in the process.
Sukova underlined that older people have considerable capacity and potential to contribute to society’s development. One of the European Union’s key objectives, she added, is to strengthen competitiveness by making full use of its human capital.
Earlier, Labour and Social Policy Minister Nataliya Efremova said at the Y50+ Talents forum that the government recognises the considerable potential of people over the age of 50 and is firmly committed to supporting their participation on the labour market.
EU Faces Annual Workforce Decline of One Million by 2050, European Commission Official Warns THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-10-12 10:08:13
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