One potential but often overlooked solution involves encouraging individuals approaching retirement age to extend their working lives. Estonia anticipated this impending labour shortage and has already taken steps to promote longer careers. The Estonian Active Ageing Development Plan 2013–2020 was the first step which prioritizes the extension of working lives, aiming to reduce unemployment and inactivity among older age groups. Consequently, Estonia boasts one of the EU's highest employment rates, reaching 68% among 15–74-year-olds in 2018. This success is attributed partly to a favourable tax system for working pensioners but also to a culture that is more accommodating to older individuals than in other Central and Eastern European countries (European Commission 2018).
