Conclusion

Abstract

This volume has explored the policy treatment of older individuals in EU15 nations from the mid-1990s to 2010 in order to examine the implementation of the EU’s active ageing agenda in these countries. It began by providing the macro-context in terms of the recommodification of labour literature which argues decommodifying policies have been retrenched whilst the focus has shifted towards the provision of welfare through the (labour) market. However, there is also a body of literature which suggests historically older individuals have been drawn into and expelled from the labour market when required by the economy as they make up part of the ‘reserve army of labour’ (Phillipson, 1982, 2005; Taylor and Walker, 1996). Thus, it is argued early exit and retirement schemes in many nations were introduced to reduce youth unemployment during the economic crises of the 1970s and 1980s and the subsequent shift towards ‘active ageing’ through labour market participation can equally be seen as the result of predicted labour shortages and demographic change.