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European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Opening speech by Commissioner Šuica at the Launch of the 3rd Demography Report Brussels, 14 July 2026 Ladies and gentlemen, It is my pleasure to welcome you to the launch of the third edition of our Demography Report: understanding change and adapting to its consequences . This goes to the heart of our competitiveness, both at home and globally. Because demograph...
European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Opening speech by Commissioner Šuica at the Launch of the 3rd Demography Report Brussels, 14 July 2026 Ladies and gentlemen, It is my pleasure to welcome you to the launch of the third edition of our Demography Report: understanding change and adapting to its consequences . This goes to the heart of our competitiveness, both at home and globally. Because demographic change is not happening in the distant future. It is happening right now. It affects all generations. And every region across the European Union. Tackling demographic change is not something leaders can postpone. This report shows us that investing in a longevity society will pay real dividends. And the good news is that we are not starting from scratch. We laid a solid foundation for our work on demography in the previous mandate. And we continue to build on it. We know demographic trends need careful long-term monitoring and coordination. We know that we must come together and talk to each other more regularly and in a structured way. And not just within the European Union, but globally too. This is why I am looking forward to the European Demography Forum, which we will convene next March for the first time. And it is why I am in favour of setting up an effective European Agency for Demography, supporting the work of national bodies and filling the gap between data and policy making. All with the aim to create awareness and understanding that our continent is undergoing a profound transformation. And that we are well placed to support Member States in delivering what is needed, where it is needed, and when is needed. Based on crucial evidence – to which this report contributes. --- Ladies and Gentlemen, We know that people in Europe are living longer, healthier lives. Children born today across the Union are expected to live past 80 years of age on average. And this number is expected to grow by almost a decade by 2100. We can thank science, modern medicine and public policy for these results. At the same time, births are falling across the Union. This presents serious challenges: How can we manage a declining working population? How can we adequately fund healthcare, education and pensions? How can we make sure we do not overburden young people to pay for the older members of our society? These are difficult questions with complex solutions – with the consequences affecting people's daily lives. That means we must look at many factors and work on different policies. Because if we focus on one dimension while ignoring the others, we risk making things worse. This is why the Demography Report is so important. Because the challenge before us can only be tackled by scientific, evidence-based policy. And I want to thank our colleagues in the Joint Research Centre for their excellent work. Their insight lays the foundation for concrete solutions, addressing these issues across our Member States and regions. --- Let me give you some examples: This report points us to where the EU and our Member States can invest. For example, we know that each euro invested in prevention saves us 14 euro in healthcare and productivity costs down the line. This report tells us how we can mitigate the impact of a smaller workforce. For example, tapping into the power of working-age women. There are 37 million unemployed or inactive women in the European Union right now. And if we could raise the overall rate of participation in the labour market to the one of the best in class – Sweden in this case – we would almost entirely compensate for the retirement of older workers. This report also tells us that our demographic challenges will not affect every city and rural community the same. For example, we know rural areas are more vulnerable to a talent development trap. Young people increasingly leave rural areas for cities. We expect 83% of our rural regions to lose population. We also expect cities to host 3,6% more population by 2050. That means rural areas find themselves depleted – of people, of workers, of resources. And cities suffer from housing shortages. In fact, housing plays a key role – because young people are having a harder time buying a home, making it harder to start a family. And well-managed migration can be an important part of the solution, bringing workers where they are needed most. --- The information in this Report is crucial. It points our policy in the right direction. The work of the JRC has been instrumental in this field for years now. Its scientific work is the basis for new initiatives – as we are already seeing this mandate: The Intergenerational Fairness Strategy The Affordable Housing Plan The Health Union But it goes further. It lets the Commission and our Member States calibrate initiatives – so that we see real results. Empowering citizens to lead fulfilling lives – marked by the ability to do more, for longer, and in good health. And enabling young people to choose to embark on the beautiful journey of parenthood – when they are ready. This is the core of a longevity society. A society focused on prioritising fulfilment – empowering people to do what they love for as long as they can or wish. A society that cares for the elderly, for children, and for those in between. --- Ladies and Gentlemen, We know there are no shortcuts. But we have the means to act. Together, the European Union and the Member States can act decisively, at all levels of governance. In the proposal for the next long term budget of the EU, we explicitly address demography as a horizontal task. And we point out that it is an objective of cohesion policy – as stated in the Treaties – but also of social, health, education, research, and cultural policy. Our idea is to underline the legal possibility to support Member States in addressing their demography-related concerns. With a tailor-made approach. Based on their needs and their requests. And with the support of the Joint Research Centre, we know our response will always be based on solid scientific research. Today's report provides a scientific basis that should guide us in answering important questions. I look forward to discussing the answers with you, hearing your perspectives. Thank you again to all the colleagues involved in putting this excellent report together. Thank you. SPEECH/26/1617 Press contacts: Guillaume MERCIER (+32 2 29 80564) General public inquiries: Europe Direct by phone 00 800 67 89 10 11 or by email
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