euro|topics - Old Europe

Main focus of Thursday, August 28, 2008

Old Europe

According to a recent study by the Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat), Europe's population is growing too old. The study estimates that in 50 years' time a third of the EU's population will be over 65 years of age, and in some states the number of inhabitants could even go down. This will also have a negative impact on Europe's social systems. What are the ramifications of this prognosis for Europe?

Postimees - Estonia

The daily Postimees calls for a pan-European strategy to counteract the negative demographic trend in Europe: "The low birth rate has long been a problem in the EU. But while some member states have already facilitated access for highly qualified immigrants, poor refugees from Africa are still being kept out and the restrictions for Eastern Europeans remain intact. But if at present there is one pensioner for every four workers, according to Eurostat in 50 years' time it will be only two workers to every pensioner. This means that to keep up the pension system contributions will have to be doubled. And how this will affect economic development or the defence budget, for example, remains to be seen. It would certainly make sense to tackle this problem at a European level." (28/08/2008)

Polska - Poland

Eurostat predicts that owing to its low birth rate Poland's total population will sink from its present level of just over 38 million inhabitants to 31 million by 2060. Sociologist Lena Kolarska-Bobińska, director of the Warsaw Institute of Public Affairs, writes in a commentary in Polska newspaper that Poland should become a country of immigration for economic refugees from the East. "We need ... to facilitate access for immigrants. Many European countries have already done this. This must be coupled with measures to promote the integration of newcomers. I am not talking here about refugees, who are equated with immigrants nowadays, but about opening up the country to people who want to settle in Poland for economic reasons. The most promising approach would be to open up to our Eastern neighbours because their integration is likely to be comparatively easy." (28/08/2008)

ABC - Spain

According to the most recent Eurostat figures, by 2060 there will be six Spaniards over 65 years of age to every ten of working age. The daily ABC fears that the social welfare reforms of the ruling Socialist government are untenable in a rapidly ageing society: "Thanks to Eurostat we now know that we are getting older. ... Those of you who in statistical terms have the possibility of living to see the year 2060 should start getting worried. Half a century takes little longer than the blink of an eye, and according to the wise ones at the European Statistical Office, for every ten people of working age, there will be six who are over 65. ... If we assume that at that time the same team around [Spanish Prime Minister] José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is still in power - all conceivable catastrophes are possible - it would be nice to know how they ... will then finance the new law for the needy." (28/08/2008)

Dagens Nyheter - Sweden

The daily Dagens Nyheter sees three ways to attack the problem of an ageing Europe: "More jobs, more equality and more labour from abroad. To cope with the shortcomings, the ageing population must work longer, that means both men and women. But that will not be enough. Immigration must increase, with everything that that entails in terms of integration measures. And finally, the obstacles hindering people from having children must be set aside. That includes facilitating artificial insemination, for example. But the key thing is to create an equitable labour market, so that women do not feel forced to choose between children and their professional life." (28/08/2008)

» To the complete press review of Thursday, August 28, 2008

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