Doc. 8798
8 July 2000

Challenge of Europe's declining and ageing population

Motion for a recommendation

presented by Mr Paslaru and several of his colleagues

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.       United Nations demographic projections indicate that between 1995 and 2050, the population of virtually all European countries is likely to decline, largely as a result of low fertility and increased longevity. Population ageing will be pervasive, bringing the median age of the population to historically high levels. The number of persons of working age (15-64 years) per older person will often be halved, from 4 or 5 to 2.

2.       Although fertility could rise in coming years, few believe that it will recover sufficiently in most countries to reach replacement level in the foreseeable future.

3.       To prevent total population from declining, according to the United Nations, present immigration levels would need to double in Europe as a whole (47 countries). Nevertheless, some European countries would be able to maintain their population with fewer immigrants than observed in recent years.

4.       A recent Council of Europe study predicts that the population of working age in Europe will peak in the next ten years before declining by around a quarter up to 2050.

5.       The Parliamentary Assembly considers that the challenges of declining and ageing populations will require a comprehensive review of present European migration, social, health and family policies in a long-term perspective, and recommends that the Committee of Ministers undertake such a review in the framework of the intergovernmental work programme of the Council of Europe with a view to making appropriate recommendations to the member states.

Signed (see overleaf)

Signed¹:

Paslaru, Romania, SOC

Christodoulides, Cyprus, UEL

Cilevics, Latvia, SOC

Connor, Ireland, EPP/CD

Fehr, Switzerland, LDR

Fernandez Aguilar, Spain, EPP/CD

Ivanov, Estonia, SOC

Iwinski, Poland, SOC

Judd, United Kingdom, SOC

Lopez Gonzalez, Spain, SOC

Mutman, Turkey, SOC

Prosser, United Kingdom, SOC

Stoisits, Austria, SOC

Tabajdi, Hungary, SOC

Telek, Turkey, EDG

Tkáč, Slovakia, EDG

Vermot-Mangold, Switzerland, SOC

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group