It must be recognised that advances in medical sciences and improvements in living conditions have moved the threshold forward considerably of what used to be called ‘the third age’: as the positive experience of Japan illustrates, senior citizens can be engaged in productive activities, including the provision of all-important community services.
Moreover, adequate social policies can encourage a much higher participation of women in the labour force, especially in Italy. Policies to promote innovation and investment in new technologies are crucial. At the same time, as technological progress advances further, taking advantage of its great economic opportunities will require paying close attention, in particular, to the changes implied for the qualitative profiles of labour demand.