2. Who implements and finances the study?

Project activities are implemented by the Ministry of Labor, Pension System, Family and Social Policy (MROSP) as the Beneficiary and the Faculty of Economics, University of Zagreb as a Partner. The SHARE study (project number: UP.01.3.2.03.0001) in Croatia is funded by the EU from the European Social Fund, and is implemented under Specific Objective 8.vii.2. – Increasing the availability and quality of publicly available information and services on the labour market, including active employment policy (AEP) measures.
The total contracted value of the project is HRK 9,983,493.87, with EU support amounting to 100%. The estimated duration of project activities is until June 2023, i.e. until the end of the 8th and 9th waves of the study. The funding will also partially cover the 10th wave planned for the period 2022 – 2023.

3. Why is this study important?

Institutional and especially analytical capacities of Croatian labour market institutions for assessing the effects of demographic ageing are still insufficiently developed (e.g. in terms of data availability and knowledge for their application, statistical or econometric analysis, knowledge for creating new services, etc.).
Strong support from the European Commission for the creation of a European Ageing Study covering all members of the European Union (EU). The study is necessary to address the challenges of demographic ageing and reform the pension system, modernize labour market institutions and its policies, and reform health and social care systems.

4. What are the goals of the study?

To increase the availability and quality of publicly available information and services on the labour market, including AEP measures. This can be achieved by modernizing and standardizing data.
Train employees in labour market institutions to provide new or improved services.

5. What is the purpose of the study?

The data collected within this study will serve, among other things, as a scientific basis for the modernization of labour market institutions, i.e. it will contribute to improving the quality of provided services. The study will provide employees in labour market institutions with education and training for the preparation of better analytical bases, e.g. for the adoption of evidence-based policies, increasing the level of their professional knowledge, ICT skills etc.
Furthermore, the availability of data will be increased – data that did not exist in Croatia so far will be collected – and thus the possibilities of conducting specific analyses and quality international comparisons.

6. What is the EU dimension of the study?

The SHARE study is closely linked to measures encouraged by the European Commission to increase the employability of young people, increase the participation rate of older workers in the labour market or measures aimed at reforming pension systems in EU countries. Harmonized and high-quality data from all Member States are needed to create these measures.
The key data collected in the SHARE database are particularly important for reform processes, especially when drafting pension, health or social policies within individual ministries or special institutes in public administration.
Previous examples of the use of data collected in the SHARE study (e.g. in Italy, the Czech Republic, France, Austria and Germany) have shown that it is possible to reform existing pension, health, social policies and implement new ones while achieving significant financial savings. This is particularly important for countries that have significant budgetary constraints or are in an excessive deficit procedure, as is the case with Croatia.