Trend Sustaining employment with a shrinking and ageing European population

Summary

The report expects Europe to head into sustained population decline, with most EU countries shrinking because fertility sits below replacement and older cohorts keep growing. It adds that without immigration Europe would already have begun losing population about a decade ago. In Spain, if participation rates stay where they are, Eurostat's baseline scenario implies an active population up to three million smaller by 2050. The report argues, however, that raising employability among groups with low participation, such as women over 55 or young people with few qualifications, could sharply limit or even halt that fall. It calls for investment in the employability of all groups, regular and safe migration routes and effective labour market integration of foreigners. In an ageing continent, achieving more employment with fewer people is presented as a key to collective wellbeing.