Demography tells the story of our lives. Alongside the figures on births, deaths and migration, there are personal stories and decisions that lie at the core of demographic change. Demographic policies are there to deliver what is needed, where it is needed the most. Personal stories relate to how long we are likely to live and the quality of those years, how many children we have, and where and how we are likely to spend our lives.
Demographic change impacts these decisions, and our economies, our welfare and health systems as well as housing and infrastructure needs in the EU’s regions. It ultimately has implications for government budgets and policy choices. The EU monitors these developments and integrates demographic concerns into the recommendations to Member States and into the design of relevant EU policies.
The EU has taken a number of specific initiatives which support Member States in dealing with the most relevant implications of demographic change.