Schimbările demografice: propuneri privind măsurarea și combaterea efectelor negative în regiunile UE
Opinion factsheet
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Opinion number:
CDR-4647-2019
Status:
Adoptat
Objective
Demographic change has been put in the top of the political agenda, especially with the European Commission assigning for the first time a dedicated VPO for Democracy and Demography (Dubravka Suica).
The opinion should contribute the CoR positions in the EC's "Report of the impact of Demographic Change", the "Green Paper on Ageing" and the "Long-term vision for the rural areas".
The opinion should eventually influence the workings of the upcoming conference on the Future of Europe.
The opinion should contribute the CoR positions in the EC's "Report of the impact of Demographic Change", the "Green Paper on Ageing" and the "Long-term vision for the rural areas".
The opinion should eventually influence the workings of the upcoming conference on the Future of Europe.
Impact
The European Commission's "report on the impact of the demographic change" (17/6/2020) and the Council Conclusions on "Demographic challenges - the way ahead" (8/6/2020), though published before the adoption of the opinion, reflected a lot of the rapporteur's positions, as Mr Karacsony had meetings and shared views with both Ms Suica's cabinet and the Croatian Presidency.
On 18/12/2020 Vice President Dubravka Suica met with the rapporteur and discussed the contant of the opinion as well as how it can impact the proceedings of the upcoming Conference for the Future of Europe.
On 27 January 2021, European Commission published its Green Paper on Ageing. The report states that the debate on demography "will be inclusive and build on the work of other EU institutions and bodies"; in listing the work of other EU institutions and bodies, the report includes this opinion.
On 25 March 2021, European Parliament adopted the report on "Reversing demographic trends in EU regions using cohesion policy instruments" (rapporteur Daniel Buda, RO/EPP). The report included amendments tabled after the suggestion of the CoR, and included parts of Mr Karacsony's opinion.
Mr Karacsony participated in the European Week of Regions and Cities' event "Lonely places and shrinking areas: challenges and opportunities for the the future", organized by DG REGIO.
On 18/12/2020 Vice President Dubravka Suica met with the rapporteur and discussed the contant of the opinion as well as how it can impact the proceedings of the upcoming Conference for the Future of Europe.
On 27 January 2021, European Commission published its Green Paper on Ageing. The report states that the debate on demography "will be inclusive and build on the work of other EU institutions and bodies"; in listing the work of other EU institutions and bodies, the report includes this opinion.
On 25 March 2021, European Parliament adopted the report on "Reversing demographic trends in EU regions using cohesion policy instruments" (rapporteur Daniel Buda, RO/EPP). The report included amendments tabled after the suggestion of the CoR, and included parts of Mr Karacsony's opinion.
Mr Karacsony participated in the European Week of Regions and Cities' event "Lonely places and shrinking areas: challenges and opportunities for the the future", organized by DG REGIO.
Essential points
THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
- considers that demographic change is one of the biggest challenges facing European regions, cities and rural population centres, and points out that some of the driving factors behind it are: an ageing population, low fertility and birth rates and the worsening unequal distribution of the population;
- strongly endorses the European Commission report on the impact of demographic change, which takes an approach combining the digital transition, the green economy and the demographic challenge - a comprehensive approach which is crucial for delivering fair, sustainable solutions for all generations, taking care to ensure that no one is left behind, as called for by the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals;
- draws attention to the significantly different growth trends of the population across EU Member States and regions that urgently need to be tackled with different measures among the EU27;
- underlines that due to the delay in the childbearing age of women, the desired childbirth postponed to a later age, resulting in the planned number of children - typically 2-3 children - not being met, resulting in a difference between the actual and the desired number of children (fertility gap). As long as there is a fertility gap in the EU Member States, there is a primary role to reduce the fertility gap, migration can only occur thereafter. Every effort must be made to encourage and incentivise childbearing;
- draws attention to its own opinion on "The EU response to the demographic challenge" (2016), which stipulates that many European policies can contribute to addressing the demographic challenge without providing specific measures to support the areas affected by these challenges;
- considers that emerging issues such as the transformation of society and population distribution give rise to political responses, which may lead to a polarisation in the democratic system;
- underlines that many of the necessary policy responses fall within the responsibility of local and regional authorities in the EU and therefore underlines the need for a strong focus on partnership and multi-level governance in finding adequate solutions;
sees the need for a regular monitoring of the demographic challenge by making a link between the European Semester and demographic change and by closely associating this question with the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.