With Europeans enjoying longer lives and having fewer children, the Report on the Impact of Demographic Change identified the ageing of our population as one of the main demographic drivers in Europe. An increasingly older population presents diverse challenges to us at individual, societal and economic levels and indeed between generations.
However, ageing also brings opportunities and a potential that so far has not been sufficiently tapped. The Commission will therefore present a Green Paper on Ageing, scheduled for Q1 2021, to launch a wide-ranging debate on the long-term impacts, notably on care, healthcare, labour markets and pensions, but also on how to foster active ageing.
By assessing whether our social protection systems are fi t to deal with this change, looking into the territorial differences of ageing, and identifying the needs and contributions of older people, we will be in a better position to formulate policies that support and are fair for all - the old and the young, current and future generations - especially in times of economic hardship.
“The Green Paper will not only be about older persons but also about how all of this plays out for the younger generation. It will be about ageing and not only about the aged”
The Green Paper on Ageing will be my first policy initiative emanating from the Commission Report on the Impact of Demographic Change, which was published in June 2020. This report lays the ground for the Green Paper and other future work, by collecting and presenting the evidence on demographic trends and looking at the impact they have on the lives of European citizens: on average, we live longer and healthier lives, even if this may sound counterintuitive given the reality of COVID-19.
At the same time, fewer children are born in Europe so, as a result, the overall population is ageing. By 2070, more than 30 percent of the population is projected to be aged 65 or older, compared to approximately 20 percent currently.
Therefore, the Green Paper will not only be about older persons but also about how all of this plays out for younger generations. It will be about ageing and not only about the aged. We will look at social and fiscal impacts, especially in the care sector, at labour markets, but we will also approach these issues from a health perspective.
While we are still in an early phase of preparations, it is obvious to me that this Green Paper will need to clearly address the challenges that come with an ageing society, as much as pointing to opportunities that we have not identified or exploited enough so far.
Among these are that people may choose to work longer, may decide to embark on new careers later in life or may opt to translate their longer health into contributing to the volunteer sector. It is crucial that we do not look at the issues of demographic developments, health and social policies in an isolated manner.
They are all intrinsically interlinked and are conditional on each other. Ageing societies come with different health patterns, which affect the way people can exercise their rights or have different needs.
“People may choose to work longer, may decide to embark on new careers later in life or may opt to translate their longer health into contributing to the volunteer sector”
Therefore, this Commission has, from the very beginning of its mandate, worked as a team: the College works together in thematic project groups and regularly exchanges on those topics, as do the services. The debate launched by the Green Paper on Ageing means that we will engage in an exchange with stakeholders and we are eager for their input and experiences.
Equally, I look forward to continuing my dialogue with the European Parliament on this topic. We already kicked off this exchange in a constructive manner earlier this year and I closely follow the work in the different committees, intergroups and with many MEPs.
This will help us prepare the concrete follow-up steps among which the question of care will certainly play a key role. This is something we will address during the course of 2021.