Italy

This publication is part of a series of OECD country reports which review the main barriers to employment for older people and make policy recommendations for further action. This report on Italy is based on the proceedings of a seminar held in Rome in March 2004. It finds that there has been a trend towards rapid population ageing since the 1970's, resulting in Italy having the second highest old-age dependency ratio among OECD countries after Sweden currently, and this is ratio is expected to more than double by the year 2050. The report discusses the key challenges facing Italy's welfare system and the potential social and economic impacts of population ageing; the reforms implemented during the 1980's and the current market situation for older workers; the complementary pension system and other social protection measures; the complexities of the transition to retirement; options for promoting higher rates of participation among older people and better employment opportunities; removing demand-side barriers; older people's attitudes to work and educational attainment levels.