WRITTEN QUESTION E-3977/00 by Bartho Pronk (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Minimum age-limit of the working population.
Date: 2000-12-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU Member State, compulsory education, employment statistics, population of working age, statistical method, working population

C 187 E/96

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

3.7.2001

transport and € 300 000 for a socio-economic study based on the provisions of Council Directive 1999/
74/EC of 19 July 1999, on the protection of laying hens (1). Prior to 2001 no specific commitments on
this budget line or its predecessors have been made for actions (i.e. projects or studies) related specifically
to animal welfare.

(1) OJ L 203, 3.8.1999.

(2001/C 187 E/103)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3977/00

by Bartho Pronk (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(20 December 2000)

Subject: Minimum age-limit of the working population

In Directive 1897/2000 (1) concerning the operational definition of unemployment, the working popula-
tion is designated as comprising persons in the age-group 15 to 64.

In most European Union Member States young persons remain in compulsory education until age 16.

Taking that into consideration, can the Commission explain:

1. The circumstances under which young persons at age 15 are designated as already forming part of the
working population, whereas in most European Union Member States they are still in compulsory
education at that age?

2.

In which Member States young people remain in compulsory education only until age 15?

(1) OJ L 228, 8.9.2000, p. 18.

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(13 March 2001)

1.
The reference to 15 years as the bottom age limit for defining the working population is a recognised
standard used in accordance with international recommendations from the International Labour Organisa-
tion.

There is a need to ensure consistency in the measurement of unemployment and employment, also for
ease of international comparison. In that regard, adjusting the definition of the bottom age limit for the
working population to the age when compulsory schooling ends, presents some drawbacks. For example,
in some Member States, in particular those having a well developed initial vocational training system in
a work situation (dual system), the line between compulsory schooling and work can be difficult to draw.

The Commission is aware of the situation regarding education systems and compulsory schooling as well
as of the trend towards longer stay in education and training. One concern is that in the perspective of
a knowledge-based economy and society as defined by the Lisbon European Council, the objectives in
terms of higher employment rates for the Community should not conflict with the need to ensure that
young people achieve minimum educational qualifications beyond compulsory schooling.

2.
In Sweden and Austria, compulsory schooling is not defined in terms of an age limit but in terms of
a minimum number of years in education. However, in these cases, information on the starting age for
education permits calculation of the average age for completion of compulsory schooling.

According to the most recent information (1999-2000) from Eurydice (the information network on
education in Europe), the end of compulsory schooling is still 15 in Greece, Ireland, Italy (after recent
change), Luxembourg, Austria and Portugal.