Key indicators 2004 – 4 Employment analysed by age group

Key indicators 2004

4
Employment analysed by age group

Source: The OECD, Employment Outlook

This indicator illustrates economic and social aspects of sustainable development. In an international context, Denmark is characterised by having a very high rate of employment.

Over the past 10 years, employment has risen by almost 200,000. Increasing employment is important in order to ensure economic growth and a sustainable fiscal policy, which means Denmark has a surplus on public finances that can cope with the increases in expenditure arising from an aging population without having to tighten economic policy. Increased employment is also an important contribution towards realising the objectives of the Government's growth strategy.

More people at work to secure growth

In order to realise the Government's economic policy strategy, employment must rise by 60,000 from 2003 to 2010. At its meetings in Lisbon and Stockholm, the European Council established ambitious targets for employment rates within the EU up until 2010. The targets are an employment rate close to 70 per cent of the population of working age, more than 60 per cent for women, and 50 per cent for the 55 to 64 year-old age bracket. Denmark already meets these objectives, but has, as was mentioned above, established higher national objectives for even greater increases in the employment rate. Therefore, a significant growth in employment is an ambitious goal. The challenge becomes even greater in view of the fact that demographic developments will, all other things being equal, reduce the size of the workforce in the years to come.