Germany has the steepest age profile among workers in the European Union. According to the German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) using Eurostat data released on Tuesday, 9.8 million of the approximately 40.9 million employed people aged 15‑64 were between 55 and 64 years old. That represents 24.0 % of all workers, the highest proportion of any EU state. Across the EU, about one‑fifth of the workforce (20.1 %) is aged 55‑64.
In 2024 Italy came in second place with 23.0 % of its employed people in the 55‑64 range, followed by Bulgaria at 22.3 %. By contrast, Malta had the smallest share, with only 10.8 % of its workers aged 55‑64. Luxembourg’s share was 12.8 % and Poland’s 15.2 %.
The principal driver of Germany’s high proportion of older workers is the country’s ageing population, coupled with a trend toward later retirement. In 2024, the average retirement age reported by the German Pension Insurance was 64.7 years for both men and women. In 2004, it had been 63.0 years for women and 63.1 years for men. The rise is partly due to the planned increase of the statutory retirement age to 67 by 2029. Another factor is the gradual phase‑out of two early‑retirement schemes that had previously allowed workers to retire as early as 60.