pro Europe - Austrian Embassy Series "How fit is the EU for demographic challenges in the 21st century?"
Tuesday, 22 November 2011, 12.30 – 2pm, Residence of the Austrian Embassy
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Rainer Muenz, Head of Basic Research, Erste Group, Former member of the EU "Reflection Group on the Future of Europe"
Discussant: John Peet, The Economist
Today, demographic change is a global phenomenon resulting from two almost universal
trends: declining fertility and increasing life expectancy. Europe and Japan have already
entered the stage of demographic stagnation and will most likely be confronted with some
population decline during the first half of the 21st century. As a result many parts of Europe – several EU member states and all European CIS countries – are confronted with stagnating or declining working age populations and the prospect of shrinking native labour forces. In contrast to this stagnation or decline, populations of Europe’s neighbouring regions – Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa – will continue to grow significantly. For the European Union and its 27 member states it is clear that labour market reforms leading to higher labour force participation rates – including more women, more elderly and more people belonging to ethnic minorities into the labour market – should be given high priority.
At the same time such reforms will probably not be sufficient to fully counterbalance
shrinking native work forces. Hence Europe will have to develop comprehensive migration
policies that balance economic and humanitarian aspects and incorporate selection and
admission procedures for people who qualify for economic reasons as temporary migrants or as permanent immigrants. We should, however, ask ourselves: Is Europe ready to cope with these challenges?
AUSTRIAN EMBASSY - PRO EUROPE Events are free and open to the public unless otherwise stated.
PRO EUROPE is an initiative of the Austrian Embassy in London for discussing European affairs. Its mission is to provide an informal platform for connecting international scholarly and political expertise on European issues, which are relevant for the UK and other European countries, and to discuss international perspectives through scholarship and engagement with practitioners and decision-makers on why governments should be assertive about Europe. “No European state in the 21st century can lastingly and successfully advocate its interests in the world alone. The major challenges of our modern societies know no borders.” (Michael Spindelegger, Austrian Foreign Minister)
