The average working life expectancy in the countries of the European Union in 2021 was 36 years, data from the EU statistical office (Eurostat) showed.
This indicator is a forecast of how many years a person who was 15 years old in 2021 will remain in the working-age population throughout his life.
Since 2001, the duration of the working life of Europeans has been constantly increasing, but in 2020 it decreased due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the statistical office noted. In 2001, the figure was 32 years, in 2019 it reached 35.9 years, and then the year before last it dropped to 35.6 years.
Among EU countries, the longest working life expectancy is expected in the Netherlands (42.5 years), Sweden (42.3 years) and Denmark (40.3 years). Residents of Romania (31.3 years), Italy (31.6 years) and Greece (32.9 years) will work the least.
For men in the EU, the average duration of work is 38.2 years, for women – 33.7 years. The difference in this indicator, which is now 4.5 years, has decreased significantly since 2001, when it was 7 years.