BRUSSELS – Less than one in 10 Belgian women are still in work at the official retirement age, it emerged on Tuesday.

Just 8.5 percent of women are still working at 65 and less than half of men.

It’s the first time that figures have been studied for the numbers of Belgians working right up to retirement, although it’s been well-documented that the country has a lower than average number of mature workers, compared to other EU countries.

The figures were compiled by researcher Wim Herremnas, using 2001 data from the social security department, and published in the Flemish newspapers De Standaard, Het Nieuwsblad and Het Volk.

Herremnas said he felt the figures still held true for 2004.

The average age of retirement in Flanders is 61.6 years old.

[Copyright Expatica 2005]

Subject: Belgian news