Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the demographic future of Europe
Date: 2007-06-06
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: EU migration policy, economic and social cohesion, employment policy, population ageing, population policy

24.8.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 197/1

III

(Preparatory Acts)

COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

70th PLENARY SESSION HELD ON 6 AND 7 JUNE 2007

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the demographic future of Europe

(2007/C 197/01)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

— stresses the urgent need to consider demographic trends at the level of regions, cities and municipali-
ties and in a more differentiated way, as very different and in some cases contrary trends are underway
simultaneously within the Member States and, on the other hand, similar patterns of development are
discernible in different regions of Europe. In future the regions, cities and municipalities will need to
have their own policy strategies and guidelines based on realistic population forecasts;

— considers that the demographic trend must be a horizontal political topic to ensure that action can be
taken in good time to counteract the long-term risks and recognise and exploit the opportunities. To
this end, it is necessary to face up to uncomfortable truths and to take all factors into account in the
public debate. Only when policy-makers and the public have accepted a shrinking as well as an ageing
population as an irreversible structural fact can appropriate reactions be formulated;

— stresses that the demographic challenge should not be seen in a purely negative light. On the one
hand too few children are being born to maintain current population levels. This will in the long term
become a problem for European societies, for which a solution must be found. At the same time
people are also living and staying healthy longer, and that is good news. In addition it must be recog-
nised that older people have the potential to make a real contribution to society and this must be
recognised within this debate. Economically prosperous urban areas continue to benefit from inward
migration, which can at present still compensate for the low birth rate

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Official Journal of the European Union

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I. Political recommendations

Commission communication: The demographic
Europe — from challenge to opportunity

future of

COM(2006) 571 final

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

3.
considers that the demographic trend must be a hori-
zontal political topic to ensure that action can be taken in good
time to counteract the long-term risks and recognise and exploit
it is necessary to face up to
the opportunities. To this end,
uncomfortable truths and to take all factors into account in the
public debate. Only when policy-makers and the public have
accepted a shrinking as well as an ageing population as an irre-
versible structural fact can appropriate reactions be formulated;

General comments on the Commission communication

1. wholeheartedly welcomes the Commission initiative
which aims to follow on from the discussion of the Green Paper
entitled Confronting demographic change: a new solidarity between
the generations while stressing a change of perception from chal-
lenge to opportunity. The Commission's approach, based on an
exchange of experience and the launching of a European discus-
sion on dealing with demographic change which will culminate
every two years in the holding of a European Demographic
Forum, is an important contribution to supporting the Member
States and the local and regional authorities. The creation and
support of networks of regions at European level and the use
and promotion of examples of best practice will make a signifi-
cant contribution to a constructive and forward-looking discus-
sion of the subject;

supports the Commission's general strategies aimed at

2.
creating a Europe:

— which supports demographic renewal by helping families to
fulfil their wish to have children and to strike a proper
work/life balance;

— which places a higher value on work, and which does not
encourage early retirement but rather, through strategies for
the banning of age discrimination and
lifelong learning,
support for forms of organisation of work more favourable
to older people, promotes more employment and a long
active life of high quality;

— which lays the foundations enabling Europeans to be more
productive and efficient in order to secure Europe's competi-
tiveness even in times of demographic change. A changing
age structure of society carries with it not only the danger
of economic contraction but also the opportunity to
develop new products and services which have the potential
to open up new markets;

— which is prepared to accept and integrate legal migrants,
who will help to meet the need for additional workers and
to underpin social security systems;

— which, on the basis of sound public finances, is able to meet
the changing demands of social security systems,
thus
avoiding placing an increasing burden on the shoulders of
coming generations;

4.
stresses that the demographic challenge should not be
seen in a purely negative light. On the one hand too few chil-
dren are being born to maintain current population levels. This
will in the long term become a problem for European societies,
for which a solution must be found. At the same time people
are also living and staying healthy longer, and that is good
news. In addition it must be recognised that older people have
the potential to make a real contribution to society and this
must be recognised within this debate. Economically prosperous
urban areas continue to benefit from inward migration, which
can at present still compensate for the low birth rate. On the
other hand, in comparison, demographic change is happening
significantly faster in many rural areas due to the mass outward
migration of young people and partly an inward migration of
older, retired people. This trend only exacerbates the problems
of the shrinking regions of origin, however;

5.
shares the Commission's view that the rights of every
generation must be preserved, as the Commission's communica-
tion of 10 May 2007 on Promoting solidarity between the genera-
tions explicitly acknowledges. Children and young people need
the opportunity to participate in society in the broadest sense.
This requires the support of their families, the creation and
institu-
maintenance of high-quality childcare and educational
tions, vocational training and job prospects. The middle genera-
tions needs help and support in looking after and bringing up
their children, and also in caring for the elderly. As for the
elderly, they need help in participating as independently and
actively as possible in social life;

factors

sees as

fundamental

identified by the
the
6.
Commission as determining demographic trends. The fall in the
average number of children per woman, the rising number of
old and very old people as a proportion of the overall popula-
increasing life expectancy and the only
tion,
longer and still
these changes in the population
partial counterbalancing of
structure by immigration are all general features of the European
trend. Aggregate, Member State-level data only provide us with
limited information on actual trends, however;

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7.
stresses the urgent need to consider demographic trends
at the level of regions, cities and municipalities and in a more
differentiated way, as very different and in some cases contrary
trends are underway simultaneously within the Member States
and, on the other hand, similar patterns of development are
discernible in different regions of Europe. In future the regions,
cities and municipalities will need to have their own policy stra-
tegies and guidelines based on realistic, small-scale population
forecasts which should deliver equality of opportunity to all;

reiterates the views expressed in its opinion on the Green
8.
Paper entitled Confronting demographic change: a new solidarity
between the generations.
its
opinion have been taken up by the Commission in its commu-
nication on The demographic future of Europe — from challenge to
opportunity and Promoting solidarity between the generations;

It notes that essential

features of

The Commission's conclusions

9.
shares the Commission's view that specific reactions to
the demographic challenge are above all the responsibility of the
Member States. It stresses, however, the special responsibility of
the regional and local authorities for tackling demographic chal-
lenges. The cities and municipalities are particularly affected by
the consequences of demographic change;

10.
strongly supports the European Commission in its
efforts to achieve a new intergenerational pact. This means that:

— the rights and interests of each individual generation must
be preserved. It is becoming increasingly important for each
generation to have the possibility to participate in educa-
labour markets and society. Children and
tional systems,
young people in particular, whose percentage share of the
total population is decreasing, need to have good and
dependable options for participating in an ageing society.
More work for individual age groups is needed, again with
particular regard to the circumstances of children and young
people, but also by establishing new and more differentiated
approaches to age;

— intergenerational exchange of experiences, skills and support
is an essential condition for society to be able to develop,
with generations coexisting in solidarity. This exchange
occurs mainly within the family. Given the requirements for
mobility and flexibility, for example in relation to the labour
market, and also given the increasing number of people
living on their own, intergenerational relations outside the
family are also becoming of increasing relevance to demo-
graphic change. In future, more attention must be paid to
least at European level. A cross-
this development, not
generational approach will enable us better than at present
to tap into the existing potential to shape demographic
change. In future, networks and initiatives to implement a

cross-generational approach should therefore receive more
support than hitherto;

— thus, at European level

the new intergenerational pact
should be the subject of an ongoing exchange of knowledge
and experience on the basis of best practice models of social
development in a context of demographic change. This also
applies to the continuation of the European Demographic
Forum. Representative civil society organisations should be
involved to the fullest possible extent in this transparent and
open dialogue;

11.
considers it necessary to make reference to the reforms
already initiated at national and European level, such as the
renewed Lisbon Strategy for growth and employment, the stabi-
lity and growth pact, the sustainable development strategy, cohe-
sion policy and the open method of coordination in the field of
social protection and integration. It points out, however, that
merely stating that we need to commit
to continuing and
deepening these efforts, even in connection with the five core
policy directions outlined, is by no means sufficient to create
the conditions
the necessary approaches at European,
national, regional and local level;

for

12.
fails to find in the Commission's communication any
description of the role of national, regional and local policies.
Demographic trends are to a great extent regional and local
developments. The communication, by aggregating data at
national and European level, gives the misleading impression
that problems need to be tackled mainly at these levels. This
inhibits
identification of growing regional disparities
including those caused by internal migration within Member
States;

the

13. welcomes the Commission's intention of holding a
European Demographic Forum every two years, the results of
which will form the subject of a chapter in the Annual Progress
Report. It considers the one-sided concentration on the issue of
longer life expectancy to be inappropriate, however. Rather, it is
necessary to consider
the various aspects of demographic
change on an equal footing;

14.
emphasises that demographic change presents signifi-
cant opportunities to improve the quality of life of the elderly
by means of new products and services, thus creating jobs and
economic growth in Europe and improving European competi-
tiveness. This concerns all areas which contribute to indepen-
dent and active lifestyles for the elderly: crafts, industry, trade
and social organisations, in fields such as tourism, culture, home
help, mobility services or financial services;

is in favour of taking the needs of the elderly and the
15.
opportunities presented by the ‘silver economy’ more closely
into account at EU level, for example by means of inclusion in
the Lisbon strategy;

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The CoR's proposals

proposals for
policy;

further development of European generation

16.
notes that there are significant regional variations in the
general demographic trends at European level. Different trends
are superimposed, leading to a situation where there are winners
(e.g. Greater London and Munich) and losers (e.g. eastern
Germany or the regions of western Poland) among the regions
of Europe. The result of these trends will be to endanger terri-
torial cohesion.
In parallel with these demographic changes,
migration from outside the Community is also having an
impact on population trends. Internal migration within the EU
is also accentuating the large-scale trends, whereby prosperous
urban areas are increasingly acting as a magnet for migration.
These various trends result in parallel growth and shrinking
processes;

concurs with the Commission that

the correlation
17.
between innovation capacity and skills in demographic change
is becoming even stronger. In future, women, and particularly
mothers, should be better enabled to put their skills to use
according to their own needs and wishes. In addition, educa-
tional systems and companies must begin right now to prepare
themselves gradually for an increase in the number of older
people and immigrants and must cooperate on putting new
forms of lifelong learning into practice;

18.
considers reconciling work and family life to be a key
requirement for competitiveness of locations, which European
employment policy should support and which plays an impor-
tant role in the development of a strategy for a Europe that
favours demographic development;

19.
in this context, welcomes the Commission's communi-
cation on Promoting solidarity between the generations. However,
the CoR would point out that measures to promote families and
to reconcile work and private life should not be seen as the only
political response to demographic change. Many regions need to
respond to demographic change in a very specific way by
adapting services or infrastructure; necessary though they are,
family policy measures can only influence demographic change
in many regions emigration of skilled
slowly. Furthermore,
young people is more of a problem than the actual birth rates
of those who stay;

21.
stresses the regional disparities in demographic trends.
Growing regions are attracting above all young people, women
and those from migrant backgrounds. In these regions social
disparities are also exacerbated by segregation processes, which
leads on the one hand to an increasing need for integration and
on the other hand to greater efforts to build and improve an
infrastructure appropriate for older people, in order to prevent
excessive social exclusion;

recognises that the integration of immigrants is key for
22.
the future of society.
It assumes that, despite the increased
education and training efforts to make better use of the poten-
tial of the young generation, there will be a need for skilled
workers from countries outside Europe. Important though the
competition for skilled workers is, it will have only a limited
impact on demographic development;

23.
points out that shrinking regions are not only losing
population — they are above all losing young people (especially
in the 20 to 30 age bracket) and women, as well as the well
educated. Shrinking regions, unlike growing ones, are not a
target for inward migration. Thus very diverse problems are
arising in European regions against a background of uniform
trends at the macro level;

24.
draws attention in this context to the problem of future
care needs. Shrinking regions are disproportionately losing their
active population. Age-related dependency is not
increasing
evenly. Rather, particularly given the need for private-sector care
in the home, the problem of the emigration of young people is
exacerbating the problem of the future support of the care-
dependent. Thus, in shrinking regions in particular, the impor-
tance of public and independent welfare provision is set to rise;

considers it necessary to focus on the very diverse
25.
level and to develop the necessary data
trends at regional
resources for assessing these trends. Local, regional and national
in the
data need to be presented in a comparable way. This,
form ‘socio-demographic monitoring’,
an
ongoing task;

should become

20. welcomes the idea mentioned in the communication on
Promoting solidarity between the generations of developing an ‘Alli-
ance for Families’ in order to encourage the necessary exchange
of best practices and comprehensive information; however,
would strongly advise against seeing such an ‘Alliance for
Families’ exclusively in terms of raising birth rates; rather,
it
should be considered as part of a comprehensive response to
demographic change. The Committee of the Regions and the
local and regional authorities associated with it should be fully
involved in the work of
they emphasise their
interest in engaging in constructive cooperation and presenting

the Alliance;

26.
stresses the particular trend in the Central and Eastern
European Member States and the new Länder of Germany. The
effects of a falling birth rate and structural changes in demo-
graphic factors are most clearly visible in these regions; more-
over this is taking place at an accelerated rate. These regions are
experiencing a trend which will occur later in most European
regions, or else not with the same severity. The CoR sees
support of these regions, for example in the framework of the
Commission's Regions for Economic Change initiative, as an appro-
priate way of tackling demographic change throughout Europe;

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27.
draws attention to the problems faced by minority
cultures within Member States which can be particularly vulner-
able to the challenges posed by population movement and
demographic change in respect of their culture and continuation
of their languages. Changes in composition of communities and
families leads to changes in habit and use of
languages, for
which communities need to plan and prepare;

points out that the current demographic challenge is
28.
unique in European history. There are therefore no tried and
tested guidelines for European societies to use in tackling this
trend. Until now only Japan has had similar experience. The
CoR therefore welcomes the Commission's open approach to
this issue;

29.
considers that the Commission communication concen-
trates too much on the issue of increased life expectancy and its
consequences. The equally important subject of
facing the
consequences of a shrinking population and the related restruc-
turing issues in the affected regions is not dealt with. Even given
that these questions need to be tackled mainly at national and
regional
they are nonetheless, where infrastructure is
concerned, also the focus of a necessary discussion on the use
of the Structural Funds;

level,

— involving the higher levels of government in the search for
solutions at an early stage. The regions will have to do more
than in the past to develop joint strategies and cooperative
ventures;

— involving the whole of society at an early stage through the
provision of
information on the consequences of demo-
graphic change, so that all social players can tailor their
action to this change;

— governments need to set certain conditions in order to slow
down the demographic change process. Policies
in all
Member States should take into consideration the needs of
young women who want to maintain a career while also
having a family, and greater social support mechanisms
should be put into place in order for this to happen. Similar
mechanisms should also be available for older people, where
more flexible working arrangements should be made availa-
ble;

32.
considers it necessary to support regionally adapted
and differentiated strategies to guarantee the best possible public
access to services of general interest, ICT services and education;

30.
considers in this context that there is a need to re-
examine the disproportionate concentration of European strate-
gies on growth. Regions with a shrinking population have to
adopt different development strategies. Infrastructure has to be
sustainable for a smaller population and regional development
strategies also have to take account of the needs of a smaller
number of people. This does not mean, however, that less needs
to be invested; rather, a different kind of investment is needed.
The development of the economy and society against a back-
drop of a shrinking population and strong regional disparities
are qualitative rather than primarily quantitative issues. This
means that policy, which has hitherto been focused exclusively
on growth, will need in addition to take account of contraction
and reconstruction;

stresses that demographic change means that employ-
33.
ment histories need to be seen in a new light. Business and
government will need to make greater use of the experience of
older workers. It is essential that older people have greater flexi-
bility in the final years of their working life. Initiatives such as
home working, flexible working hours and gradual retirement
are essential choices that need to be offered, which may encou-
rage older workers to stay in employment for longer. European
societies and above all the two sides of industry should develop
new models for the distribution of work over a lifetime,
in
for younger
order
workers and to promote employment suitable for older workers;

to create better employment prospects

34.
calls for greater emphasis on lifelong learning as people's
right and obligation in order to adapt to the constantly chan-
ging demands of industry and society;

considers that

the following political conditions are
the challenges of demographic change are to be

31.
needed if
successfully tackled:

— avoiding the promotion of unproductive

competition
between cities and regions for more people. Larger and
stronger cities and regions attract people by the advantages
they offer. But this happens at the cost of other cities and
regions, which will see their demographic situation continue
to worsen;

35.
notes that in shrinking regions there is a need to adapt
services of general interest, infrastructure and the life of society
to the population, and to changing and falling demand. The
problems existing in the Central and Eastern European States of
the last accession wave and in eastern Germany show that poli-
cies based on scaling down and restructuring infrastructure can
affect the future competitiveness of regions;

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36.
therefore considers it necessary to re-examine the
Structural Funds and the EAFRD in relation to managing the
consequences of demographic change in general. It therefore
welcomes the Commission's announcement that it will, in the
communication to be adopted by the end of 2008, containing
proposals as to how the needs of an ageing population can be
better taken into account, pay particular attention to the poten-
tial role of the Structural Funds in this area;

37.
recommends in this connection that the role of the
Structural Funds and the EAFRD be examined inter alia to assess
whether the needs of growing and shrinking regions are suffi-
ciently covered in the instruments. The CoR also asks that this
assessment be timed in such a way as to ensure that its results
are available during the first half of the funding period. The
CoR expects the Commission to ensure that demographic
change features prominently among the priorities for the Objec-
tive 3 programmes/Interreg IVc;

Brussels, 6 June 2007.

38.
draws attention to the fact that urban regions experien-
cing high levels of inward migration face major problems with
the integration of the various population groups. Demographic
effects impact on population groups to different degrees. The
integration of young people from migrant backgrounds is an
issue of key importance for the future of European societies.
The very rapid change in the demographic composition of
various population groups is a particular challenge facing the
urban regions;

in the light of

these findings proposes that

typical
39.
regional and local problems and trends requiring different
responses and strategies be identified at European level. The case
studies presented in the appendix are a contribution to this
process.

II. Procedure

Title

Reference(s)

Legal basis

Procedural basis

Date of Commission referral

Date of Bureau decision

Commission responsible

Rapporteur

Analysis

Discussed in commission

Date adopted by commission

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Michel DELABARRE

Commission Communication — The demographic future
of Europe — from challenge to opportunity

COM(2006) 571 final

Article 265(1) TEC

12.10.2006

25.4.2006

Commission for Economic and Social Policy (ECOS)

Dr Gerd Harms, Authorised representative of the Region of
Brandenburg for Federal and European Affairs and state
secretary in the national chancellery (DE/PES)

14.12.2006

2.2.2007

30.3.2007

Result of the vote in commission

Adopted by a majority

Date adopted in plenary

6.-7.6.2007, Session of 6 June

Previous Committee opinions

(1) OJ C 115, 16.5.2006, p. 61.

Opinion on the Green Paper Confronting demographic
change: a new solidarity between the generations

CdR 152/2005 fin (1) — COM(2005) 94 final