IX-XENARJU LOKALI U L-ISFIDI LI JEŻISTU
Dr. Marvin Formosa
Taqsima tal-Ġerontoloġija
Fakultà għat-Tisħiħ tas-Soċjetà
L-Università ta’ Malta
The Maltese Government was the first nation, in 1968, to bring a
motion before the United Nations that called for an action plan in
regard to the world's ageing population.
In 1980, the Chairperson of the United Nations’ World Assembly
on Ageing in 1980 was a Maltese citizen.
The United Nations reached an official agreement with the
Government of Malta to establish an International Institute on
Ageing as an autonomous body under the auspices of the United
Nations, which was opened in 1987.
In 1987, Malta was one of the first countries whose ministerial
cabinet had a Parliamentary Secretary (Junior Ministry) for the
Care of the Elderly.
In 2013, the Parliamentary Secretariat changed it name to Active
Ageing which signifies the positive opportunities that result as a
by-product of population ageing.
85
82
79
80
75
70
Men
75
Women
65
60
80
LIFE EXPECTANCY
HEALTHY LIFE YEARS AT AGE 65
(2011)
76.8
76
73.6 73.6
70
58
56
65
55
50
60
45
1948
2011
55
EU-27
Malta
100
90
13.7
16.3
28.2
80
70
60
65+
50
69.1
68.9
15-64
59.5
40
30
20
10
17.2
14.8
12.3
2005
2011
2050
0
0-14
Malta and the AAI
(EU-27) (2012)
Malta fared in the 19th place in the overall index.
The low rates of older workers put Malta in the penultimate 26th
place as far as the ‘employment’ domain is concerned.
Malta registered a mid-table position as far as ‘social participation’
and ‘independent living’ are concerned, in the 15th and 17th places
respectively.
A somewhat better position was achieved with respect to the domain
for ‘capacity for active ageing’, as Malta placed in the 13th place.
As regards the breakdown of results by gender, the AAI rates for
Maltese men and women were 35 and 26.9 respectively
Employment rate of older MALE workers aged 55-64
years (Malta, EU-28) (%)
58
56
54
52
50
48
Malta
46
44
42
40
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Employment rate of older FEMALES workers aged 55-64
years (Malta, EU-28) (%)
50
45
40
35
30
Malta
EU
25
20
15
10
5
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Employment rate of older workers aged 55-64 years
(Malta, EU-28) (%)
55
50
45
40
Malta
EU
35
30
25
20
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Average exit age from the labour force
(Malta, EU-27, EU-15)
62
61
60
59
Malta
EU-27
58
57
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
A qualitative study carried out by the Employment and
Training Corporation [ETC] (2008) categorised the reasons
why older men leave the labour market before the formal
retirement age into ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors.
Push factors: redundancies, poor working conditions,
business difficulties, poor health, marital separations.
Pull factors: early retirement schemes, financial stability,
and the fact that relatives no longer depended on the
person’s earnings.
Number of persons still working following pensionable age
(2003-2013)
12000
11000
10000
9000
The total percentage of employees aged
65-plus was 1.9 (EU-27 average: 5.6% United States average: 18.5%)
8000
7000
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Population aged 60-plus by labour status
(2011) (%)
80
70
67
60
50
40
30
19
20
13
10
1
0
Employee
Employer
Own-account
worker
Member of
cooperative
Population aged 60-plus by age
(2011) (%)
100
90
88
80
70
60
50
40
30
19
20
11
10
2
0
60-69
70-79
80-89
90+
PAST INITIATIVES
Publicity campaigns that promote the qualities of older workers
among employers, and to encourage older workers to improve
their employability through lifelong learning.
Change in the legislation so that workers of pensionable age
would be able to continue working without losing their pension
entitlements, irrespective of the amount they earn.
‘Temporary Agency Workers Regulations’ which was launched
to help older people join or remain on further in the labour
market, albeit on temporary contracts.
ETC developed a number of successful schemes which
subsidised the employment of persons aged 40 and over. For
instance, the Employment Aid Programme (EAP)
Nevertheless…
…despite such positive measures
…the Government has at times sent contradictory messages
with regards to older workers:
Whereas the official position is to extend the employment exit
age, the Government has embraced a policy of using early
retirement schemes as a means of reducing the deficits of
ailing public sector companies.
It is augured that the culture of early retirement, so much
ingrained in contemporary Maltese mentality, subsides in the
foreseeable future.
MEUSAC 2012 Stakeholders’ Conference
Key recommendations:
(i) recognise older workers and pensioners deserve as valid
contributors to the labour market and to society in general;
(ii) for the labour market to enable workers reaching their
retirement age to remain in employment either by means of
legislation or company policy;
(iii) the provision of support to older workers to reconcile their
work and private lives and to maintain their health;
(iv) for older workers to have access to lifelong learning and
upgrading of skills and training opportunities;
(v) the need for active ageing strategies to take into account
the specific needs of an ageing workforce.
The 2014 Budget
Enabling long-term unemployed to join the labour market…
persons who have been registering as unemployed for 2+ years will
have their benefits decreased gradually over a period of 3 years.
Employers who hire persons aged between 45 and 65 years old,
who had been registering as unemployed for the previous three
years, will receive an income tax deduction of €5,800.
Companies will benefit from a tax deduction of 50 per cent (up to a
maximum of €400) of the cost of training of these workers.
Tax exemption for older women joining the labour market’, in that
principal breadwinners whose wives are over 40 years old and who
start working after having been out of employment for a period of
5 years or more, and whose pay does not exceed the minimum
wage, will benefit from tax reductions.
ACTIVE AGEING
..a vision for policy in which facilitating the rights of older
people will enable the expanding population to remain health
(reducing the burden of health and social care systems), stay
in employment longer (reducing longer pension costs), whilst
also fully participating in community and political processes.
society for all ages
intergenerational equity
empowerment
NSPAA:
Three major themes
ACTIVE
PARTICIPATION
IN THE
LABOUR
MARKET
PARTICIPATION
IN SOCIETY
INDEPENDENT
LIVING
Improving / Establishing:
ACTIVE
PARTICIPATION IN
THE LABOUR
MARKET
 Continuing vocational education /
training
 Healthy working conditions
 Age management
 Employment services for older workers
 Mitigation against ageism and age
discrimination
 Employment-friendly tax/benefit systems
 Mentoring opportunities
 Reconciliation of work and care
THANK YOU
marvin.formosa@um.edu.mt