The EU Cannot Escape the Population Cliff: Births Have Halved in 60 Years

[Financial News] The population of the European Union (EU) is expected to peak in 2029 before entering a downward trend, with the total projected to fall below 400 million by 2100.
According to the EU's latest demographic report released on the 4th local time, the bloc's population, currently 450.6 million, is forecast to reach a peak of 443.3 million in 2029 before beginning to decline. As a result, the EU population in 2100, the final year of this century, is estimated at 398.8 million, down 11.7% from today and below the 400 million mark. AFP noted that such a population size of less than 400 million would be the first seen since the 1970s.
The most notable demographic change in the EU was the decline in births. The annual number of births fell from 6.8 million in 1964 to 3.5 million in 2024, nearly halving over 60 years.
Aging is also becoming more pronounced, helped by advances in medical technology and improvements in living conditions. People aged 65 and older, who currently account for one in five EU residents, are expected to rise sharply to one in three by 2050. By 2100, life expectancy for women is projected to exceed 90 years, while men's is expected to surpass 86.
The EU said these demographic shifts could lead to labor shortages, deteriorating public finances, and greater pressure on health care, care services, and education systems. At the same time, it said there could be positive effects as well, with the market for goods and services for older adults expanding and the so-called silver economy emerging as a new growth engine.
[email protected] Hong Chae-wan Reporter