(AGENPARL) – BRUXELLES mar 25 aprile 2023 A rising median age, a declining fertility rate, a shrinking working age population and decreasing population growth – not being offset by migration – are currently the main demographic trends in the EU. One in three people live in a region that has seen a decline in its population over the past decade, while Eurostat data show that ageing is unevenly distributed among the EU’s regions. The growing share of elderly people in the population is generating concerns over the sustainability of the social and economic model in many EU Member States and regions. An ageing society has consequences for several aspects, including welfare, labour markets and their productivity, public debt and electoral behaviour. Ageing can be both the result and the driver of a process of depopulation. Some EU actors have taken initiatives to tackle issues related to demographic change, including ageing societies. The European Commission launched the debate on ageing with a green paper, has presented a European care strategy and has launched a ‘talent booster’ mechanism in the framework of the 2023 European Year of Skills. Other EU institutions – including the European Parliament – and advisory bodies have expressed their positions on demographic change in the EU, including in its regions. An ageing population can often present a complex challenge at regional and local level. It is also difficult to influence demographic processes in the short term, as they develop over the long term. Adaptation measures require going beyond a sectoral approach and involve a complex system of interactions, including economic, social, political and environmental aspects. This requires cooperation between all levels of government, business entities and non-governmental organisations. Meanwhile, an ageing society can also offer opportunities. It does not necessarily mean a shrinking economy, as older adults have specific needs in terms of housing, mobility, care and more. Support for the silver economy sector could therefore contribute to economic and employment growth.

Fonte : © Unione europea, 2023 – PE

Fonte/Source: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/it/document/EPRS_BRI(2023)747104