Germany demands population policy

Employment ministers are set to discuss demographic challenges at a meeting next week (22 February). The issue is being brought to the fore by the German presidency, which is determined to form a long-term strategy to deal with the implications of the twin phenomena of falling birth rates and an ageing EU population.

According to one EU diplomat, the presidency is keen to view Europe’s ageing population as an economic opportunity. One of the discussions next week will focus on the concept of a ‘silver economy’, or the generation of markets catering to the elderly. Such markets, said the diplomat, could help to further the aims of the Lisbon Strategy, the plan for economic growth and development launched in 2000.

Discussions will move on to falling birth rates at a meeting of EU leaders on 8-9 March, where the presidency will try to secure political commitment to an ‘alliance for sustainable family policy’. According to figures released by EU statistics agency Eurostat last year, Europe’s population will have fallen by around 1.5%, or 7 million people, by 2050.

Overall, the presidency wants to create a wider forum for debate on demographics, said the diplomat. Germany is also keen to extend discussions to future presidencies, notably Portugal, Slovenia, France, the Czech Republic and Sweden.

Employment ministers are set to discuss demographic challenges at a meeting next week (22 February). The issue is being brought to the fore by the German presidency, which is determined to form a long-term strategy to deal with the implications of the twin phenomena of falling birth rates and an ageing EU population.