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29 April 2005
BRUSSELS – Belgians enjoy less time as pensioners than most of their European peers, it emerged on Friday.
La Derniere Heure reported that, on average, Belgian men live 15-and-a-half years after they retire from work – a figure which puts them 19th in a table of the 25 EU members.
The average Belgian woman spends 21 years, 2 months and 12 days as a pensioner, which means she ranks 18th among her EU counterparts.
Belgium’s neighbour France sees pensioners enjoying life after work the longest – there male pensioners spend 20 years in retirement, while women live for 25.2 years on average after giving up work.
The latest figures were revealed by AON Consulting Eurometer, a group which specialises in research into work conditions and rules.
Belgium’s position may come as a surprise given that it has a lower than average number of citizens working up until the official retirement age. A recent survey found that only 8.5 percent of women were still working at 65 while less than half of men were still in work.
AON stressed that two factors affected the length of time EU pensioners enjoy retirement: the age citizens retire and life-expectancy.
Although Belgians are currently pensioners for less time than many of their EU neighbours, the situation is improving as life-expectancy here is increasing.
Belgian pensioners already live longer than one of the newest EU members, Poland. Male pensioners there record just 13.5 years, the lowest in the EU.
In Ireland, female pensioners enjoy retirement for the shortest time – just 17.7 years.
[Copyright Expatica 2005]
Subject: Belgian news