America News Agency

According to Eurostat, in 2024 the average expected working life in the EU was 37.2 years. This represents an increase of 2.4 years, or 7%, compared to 2014 when it was 34.8 years.

Within the EU, expected working life ranges from 32.7 years in Romania to 43.8 years in the Netherlands. Including EU candidate countries and EFTA states, the range is from 30.2 years in Turkey to 46.3 years in Iceland.

While there are exceptions, expected working life in Europe generally follows geographical patterns. Northern European countries, especially the Scandinavian region, lead with the longest working periods. Iceland tops the list, followed by the Netherlands (43.8 years) and Sweden (43 years). Denmark (42.5 years), Norway (41.2 years), and Finland (39.8 years) also report high figures, all ranking in the top 10 among 35 European countries.

Western European countries also tend to have above-average working life spans. Switzerland (42.8 years), Ireland (40.4 years), and Germany (40 years) exceed 40 years and are in the top 10. However, France (37.3 years), Belgium (35 years), and Luxembourg (35.6 years) are close to or below the EU average of 37.2 years.

For the United Kingdom, the most recent available figure is from 2018, at 39.2 years. Considering the EU-wide upward trend, the current figure is likely higher.

In Southern Europe, figures are more mixed. Portugal (39.3 years) and Malta (39 years) show relatively long working lives, while Italy (32.8 years), Greece (34.8 years), and Spain (36.5 years) are significantly lower.

Eastern European countries are mostly around or just below the EU average. Hungary (37.4 years) performs moderately, while Romania (32.7 years) and Bulgaria (34.8 years) report much shorter working lives.

The shortest spans are observed in Southeastern Europe and the Balkans, including Turkey (30.2 years), North Macedonia (31.5 years), and Montenegro (32.1 years). All three countries are EU candidates, with North Macedonia and Montenegro’s data dating from 2018.