Changing Demographics - Europe

Because of reproduction rates that have slipped below even replacement rate in many European nations,
governments face the challenge of maintaining economic growth and government provided services for their
aging and decreasing populations.
Population Change in Europe:
Shrinking (Negative) Population Growth some Europeans are marrying later in life, having kids later in life,
having only one child, or choosing not to have any children due to expenses or choice of lifestyle.
Additionally, widespread access to contraceptives allows for family planning.
o Family planning the World Heath Organization (WHO) defines family planning as individuals and
couples anticipating and attaining their desired number of children and the spacing and timing of
their births. It is achieved through use of contraceptive methods and the treatment of involuntary
infertility. A womans ability to space and limit her pregnancies has a direct impact on her health
and well-being as well as on the outcome of each pregnancy.
Population decline is more common in some European nations than in others, however, fifteen of the eighteen
countries in the world with the greatest rates of population decline are in Europe.
Potential consequences of population decline include:
o Fewer people to serve in military
o Labor shortages / businesses relocate to other countries
o Closure of schools (especially in rural areas)
Policies implemented that encourage increased family size:
o Cash benefits for having children
o Daycare assistance
o Quality healthcare for mothers
o Extended maternity benefits & greater employment protections for working mothers

Aging Populations Europeans enjoy some of the longest life-expectancies in the world; this creates issues
relating to the affordability of pensions (a sum of money paid regularly as a retirement benefit) and health
care.
o Usually, these services are provided by the government taxing the current work force in order to pay
benefits to current pensioners
o With a declining population however, a country has a smaller work force to tax, resulting in less
money to pay for these services.
Policies to reduce the strain on European healthcare and pension systems include:
o Austerity measures measures that would reduce or eliminate pensions and raise the retirement age
so that people can work longer, be taxed longer, and receive retirement benefits for a shorter period
of time.
Stop the Influx of immigrants / refugees prior to the 1970s, European policy allowed for, and even
encouraged, immigrants to move to Europe. Since the 1970s, Europe has had a selective immigration policy,
but this has had little success in stopping the illegal influx of immigrants.
Many immigrants are asylum seekers, persons who have left their country of origin, have applied for
recognition as a refugee in another country, and are awaiting a decision on their application.
o Refugee - person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion,
nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his
nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of
that country and includes persons who had fled war or other violence in their home country.
Examples of immigrant groups entering Europe include:
o Moroccans & Turks in the Netherlands
o Turks in Germany
o North Africans in France
o Indians and Pakistanis in the United Kingdom
Taking advantage of persons seeking a better life, human smuggling and trafficking networks have taken
hold across the EU.
o Significant governmental resources have been mobilized to fight illegal migration, especially to target
traffickers and smugglers.

It is recognized that the EU needs migrants in certain sectors and regions in order to deal with its economic and
demographic needs. As long as Europe continues to offer education and employment opportunities, along with
its liberal democratic policies recognizing human rights and freedoms, immigrants will continue to leave their
home countries for better opportunities in Europe.

1.

What is a refugee?

2.

What demographic factors have led to declining populations in some European countries?

3.

What potential problems could population declines cause a country?

4.

What government measures might help reduce population decline?

5.

In light of declining birth rates, what additional strains does a large and aging workforce place on many developed countries?

6. How have recent patterns of immigration to Europe influenced and changed European cultures?

Rate of natural increase.

Projected population change.