Legal migration key to rebalancing EU’s demography, Commissioner says

It will be hard for the EU to solve its 'demographic problem' with the absence of legal migration, European Commission Vice-President Dubravka Šuica told EURACTIV in a video interview on the day the global population reached 8 billion.

"According to predictions, in 2070 Europe will be only 4% of the world population. So we have to put this into balance. And this is the reason why we are interested in global demography," the Commission Vice-President said.

Europe currently accounts for nearly 10% of the world's population. However, according to Eurostat figures, in 2021 just over a fifth of the EU's population was 65 and older, and that demographic is increasing in every member state.

Over the last 50 years, age expectancy has increased by a decade within the EU, due to improvements in medicine and health services.

Šuica argued that, in order to maintain demographic balance between Europe and other continents, migration will be key, despite it being a sensitive topic, highlighting the African continent - the world's youngest -  in particular.

What the EU is doing

While demography is mostly a member state competence, Šuica emphasised that the EU has the ability to apply various measures to affect population distribution.

"We are trying to create [an] environment for young families to thrive," the Vice-President said, highlighting the EU's cohesion policy.

Šuica cited various EU funds targeted at assisting member states, regions, municipalities and cities to be better equipped in terms of infrastructure so that EU residents can have a more "prosperous" life.

The same strategy is applicable to rural areas, the Vice-President said, adding that such areas are "very important" as they make up 80% of Europe's geographical area, while housing only a third of its population. As such, rural areas are a focal point of the Commission's work in assisting migration to these areas.

[Edited by Nathalie Weatherald]