Written by Maria Margarita Mentzelopoulou.
With EU citizens now living longer and healthier lives, the focus of EU policy has shifted from ageing to longevity. This demographic change has significant social and economic repercussions, such as increased demand for housing, healthcare and social services. Public spending is also expected to increase.
Demographic changes are exacerbating labour shortages across various sectors and skill levels, posing a threat to the EU’s green and digital transitions, competitiveness and public services. This issue is particularly concerning in areas already struggling with a labour shortage, such as healthcare. Attracting trained foreign workers is one solution to these issues, but EU countries must balance the need for recruiting such individuals with the challenge of controlling irregular migration flows.
In response to the above shifts, the EU has started including demographic concerns into the creation of relevant EU policies. Specific EU initiatives to support Member States in dealing with demographic change include the talent mobility package, which complements the skills and talent package and the New Pact on Migration and Asylum. Despite migration being seen as a viable solution to demographic challenges, EU Member States continue to struggle between enforcing stricter migration policies and using legal migration to fill labour shortages.
While Member States will find it difficult to sustain their welfare, pension systems and productivity without attracting skilled workers from non-EU countries, it is recognised that migration by itself will not reverse the ongoing trend of population ageing across the EU.
Read the complete briefing on ‘Demographic changes and labour migration within the EU‘ in the Think Tank pages of the European Parliament.
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