Many industrialized countries are facing large problems with their public pension systems in the 21st century. An unfavourable age distribution, with lower population shares in working ages and increasing shares and numbers of elderly persons in the future will lead, under current pension systems, to a drop in contributions and at the same time to sharply rising amounts of benefits paid. This book analyzes the impact of dynamics in age structure and marital status composition on future public pension expenditures in twelve industrialized countries. It shows that there is no demographic response to population ageing at the horizon 2030. Neither an increase in fertility nor an inflow of migrants can rejuvenate national populations, unless fertility and/or migration reach unrealistically high levels. Therefore, the overall conclusion of this book is that demographic variables are of limited help to relieve the burden of future public pension expenditures. Substantial reductions of the public pension burden have to be sought in socioeconomic measures, and not in adjusting demographic conditions. The book includes various demographic and pension scenarios for pension costs in the coming decades for Austria, Canada, the Czech and Slovak Republics, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Sweden. Not only old age pensions, but also disability and survivor pensions have been investigated. Variant projections were calculated for changes in demographic, labour force, and pension system variables. In addition, separate case studies for three countries deal with: a pension system in Austria in which benefits depend on the number children ever born; the impact of household dynamics on social security in the Netherlands, not just marriage and marriage dissolution; and with the consequences of economic growth for public pensions in Sweden.

This title was first published in 2003. During the last twenty years, the longer-term sustainability of social insurance systems has become a major issue in all European countries. Analysts and governments are increasingly alarmed at the growth in the number of disability benefit recipients, and the expansion of disability benefit schemes via increasing benefits, broadening coverage and easing access. While policy measures differ widely, policy goals tend to converge. This book analyses and compares the often controversial disability benefit policies in eleven European countries, examining their rationale, impact and outcome, and the direction of reform in the future. It will make fundamental reading for specialists in disability, social protection and public economics, and for Social Policy academics, researchers and students generally.

Bringing together contributions from institutions such as the OECD, the WHO, the World Bank and the European Disability Forum, as well as policy makers and researchers, this volume focuses on disability and work. The contributors address a wide range of issues including what it means to be disabled, what rights and responsibilities society has for people with disabilities, how disability benefits should be structured, and what role employers should play. Fundamental reading for specialists in disability, social protection and public economics, and for social policy academics, researchers and students generally, Transforming Disability Welfare Policies makes an enormous contribution to the literature.

This title was first published in 2003. During the last twenty years, the longer-term sustainability of social insurance systems has become a major issue in all European countries. Analysts and governments are increasingly alarmed at the growth in the number of disability benefit recipients, and the expansion of disability benefit schemes via increasing benefits, broadening coverage and easing access. While policy measures differ widely, policy goals tend to converge. This book analyses and compares the often controversial disability benefit policies in eleven European countries, examining their rationale, impact and outcome, and the direction of reform in the future. It will make fundamental reading for specialists in disability, social protection and public economics, and for Social Policy academics, researchers and students generally.

Many industrialized countries are facing large problems with their public pension systems in the 21st century. An unfavourable age distribution, with lower population shares in working ages and increasing shares and numbers of elderly persons in the future will lead, under current pension systems, to a drop in contributions and at the same time to sharply rising amounts of benefits paid. This book analyzes the impact of dynamics in age structure and marital status composition on future public pension expenditures in twelve industrialized countries. It shows that there is no demographic response to population ageing at the horizon 2030. Neither an increase in fertility nor an inflow of migrants can rejuvenate national populations, unless fertility and/or migration reach unrealistically high levels. Therefore, the overall conclusion of this book is that demographic variables are of limited help to relieve the burden of future public pension expenditures. Substantial reductions of the public pension burden have to be sought in socioeconomic measures, and not in adjusting demographic conditions. The book includes various demographic and pension scenarios for pension costs in the coming decades for Austria, Canada, the Czech and Slovak Republics, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Sweden. Not only old age pensions, but also disability and survivor pensions have been investigated. Variant projections were calculated for changes in demographic, labour force, and pension system variables. In addition, separate case studies for three countries deal with: a pension system in Austria in which benefits depend on the number children ever born; the impact of household dynamics on social security in the Netherlands, not just marriage and marriage dissolution; and with the consequences of economic growth for public pensions in Sweden.

Die Fortbildungswoche fur praktische Dermatologie und Venerologie ist zur zentralen Fortbildungsveranstaltung der deutschsprachigen Dermatologen geworden. Alle zwei Jahre wird hier ein fur die Praxis aufbereiteter, aktueller UEberblick uber den Wissensstand und die Entwicklung des gesamten Faches gegeben. In diesem Band finden sich die Themen der 18. Fortbildungswoche fur praktische Dermatologie und Venerologie 2002 als sorgfaltig bearbeitete und mit aktuellen, weiterfuhrenden Literaturhinweisen versehene UEbersichten. Weiterhin sind auch in diesem Band die Kasuistiken der Diaklinik enthalten.