ABSTRACT
Gender is arguably the most important variable in any discussion of the future of European labour markets. Not only have women accounted for some 25 million out of the increase of 30 million in the European labour force between 1960 and 1990 (CEC 1994:44) but it is also women who are set to increase further their share of the European labour force. According to projections on future labour supply generated by the IFO Institute for Eurostat (IFO 1995, 1994), even under the most conservative projection for labour supply growth, based on low population growth and low participation rates, women should increase their share of the European labour force (excluding the three new member states) from 40 per cent to 42 per cent by the year 2005 (see Table 8.1). This corresponds to an expansion of the overall labour force by 1 per cent and a female labour force expansion of 6 per cent relative to 1990 Figures. Under these projections women are expected to maintain this share up to 2020, despite a projected overall fall in the labour force of 6 per cent compared to 1990 levels, with the female labour force shrinking by less than 1 per cent even under the conservative scenario. At the other extreme, the IFO Institute has made alternative projections based on high population growth and high participation rates under which women take on an even more significant role in future labour supply growth; overall labour supply growth is projected to be around 17 per cent up to 2005 and 31 per cent up to 2020 relative to 1990 levels, but female labour supply is expected to rise by just under 31 per cent by 2005 and by over 55 per cent by 2020.
