Ageing of the active workforce and prolonging working life, on the agenda of the social partners in the European Union

Health and safety of workers are necessary for a sustainable professional life, active ageing and good health. For this purpose, it is necessary to create a safe and healthy work environment throughout the working life of workers, and promoting a culture of prevention of work-related risks is essential. Today, December 4, social partners from the European Union gathered in Bucharest, Romania, to discuss the results of the “Healthy Workplaces for All Ages” campaign.

This campaign is based on the findings of the European Parliament’s pilot project “Safer and healthier work for all ages “, coordinated by EU-OSHA (EU Occupational Safety and Health Agency) and aims mainly to promote the use of simple and practical tools for employers and workers to identify and manage ageing workforce problems.

“We are honoured to attend the Pan-European campaign “Healthy Workplaces for All Ages” invited by the Director General of the National Research and Development Institute on Labour Protection in Romania, Doru Darabont and the EU OSHA Focal Point Manager in Romania, Ioana-Georgiana Nicolescu. Even more the event aims to offer the opportunity for closer collaboration between all social partners, with the aim of promoting safety and health at workplace for employees for all ages,” said Elena Carchilan, the head of the Labour Inspectorate of Trade Unions.

The Republic of Moldova is also represented at the meeting by Rodica Ţabur, Director of the Republican Council on Occupational Diseases and Iurie Crăciuneac, Director of the External Protection and Prevention Service, Labour Safety. The event’s trainer is Katalin Sas, EU OSHA project manager.

According to EU-OSHA data, the labour force in Europe is experiencing an aging process, and the number of people over 60 is increasing by over two million each year. The workforce follows the same trend, the proportion of older workers, increasing as compared to that of younger workers. At the same time, according to Eurostat demographic assessments, the active population aged between 55 and 64 in the European Union is expected to grow about 16% between 2010 and 2030.

Department of mass media and international relations