Demographic Challenges

Europe’s population is due to decline from 2025 onwards, although the ageing of our societies has already begun. The implications of such a decline and ageing are huge: internally, in terms of our economic capacity and our future quality of life; but also externally, in terms of Europe’s place in the world. European Commission projections estimate that the pure impact of ageing populations will be to reduce GDP per head to around 20 % lower than could otherwise be expected.

In view of this important challenge, PES Leaders and Prime Ministers agreed in their meeting of 26th and 27th November 2004 for the PES to set up an initiative to identify a social democratic approach to tackling the demographic challenge facing Europe in the 21st century.

The PES has set up an independent Reflection Group, which is chaired by the Swedish Minister for Health and Elderly Care, Ylva Johansson, and composed of a small number of European experts. The Reflection Group has brought forward independent political and policy recommendations to PES leaders and Prime Ministers in a brochure published in October 2005.

Chairwoman:

Ylva Johansson, Swedish Minister for Health and Elderly Care

Members:

Please note that members of the Reflection Group are present in an individual capacity and do not represent the PES as such.

• Dr Jan Niessen, Director of the Migration Policy Group.
• Professor Maria Joao Rodrigues, President of the Advisory Group to the European Commission for the Framework Programme of R&D (economic and social sciences).
• Géry Coomans, Director of Geolabour.
• Professor Andreas Kruse, Director of the Institute for Gerontology, University of Heidelberg.
• Professor Antonio Vitorino, MP, former European Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs.
• Dr Danny Sriskandarajah, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Public Policy Research, UK.
• Maria Jepsen, Senior Fellow, European Trade Union Institute.
• Dr Katalin Kovács, Demographic Research Institute, Hungary.
  

Brochure:

'Meeting Europe's demographic challenges in the 21st century'    , October 2005.