Since the beginning of the crisis, the employment rate of persons aged over 55 in the 27 Member States of the European Union has increased to an average of 47.4% in 2011. However, economic data of the Institute of studies (IEE) show that there are significant differences between countries. For example, in Sweden, the employment rate is 72.3%, while 60% of persons over 55 years of age is employed in Germany and Denmark. These data contrast with the case of Spain, where only 44.5% of these people are working. Belgium and Italy are the countries that are the lowest levels in the employment rate of workers in this segment of age, with a 38.7 and 37.9%, respectively. Nearly 100,000 women over 45 have been incorporated into the professional market in the past five years, and represent 94% of the people in that segment, according to a study by the Adecco Foundation.
The report shows the added difficulty posed by finding a job for one person of that age. From May 2007 to the same month of this year, more than one million of these people have swelled the unemployment lists. Of these, 443.785 are women, by 595.734 men. For the first time in history, the unemployed in that age group approaching the two million (1.782.372) and already account for 37.8 per cent of the total unemployed. In the last five years, the absolute number of 45s on the Dole has grown a 139% (742.853 to 1.782.37). Of the total respondents, a 59.2% takes over one year unemployed. In addition, 90.6% cren that your age is the main reason why not found employment.