The European Commission’s latest study paints a stark picture of a continent entering a 'longevity economy.' With life expectancy projected to hit 90 for women and 86 for men by 2100, the bloc must overhaul its retirement strategies and care infrastructure. Dubravka Šuica, the commissioner for demography, identifies migration as the primary lever to stabilize a labor market currently reeling from the dual pressures of low fertility and an aging citizenry.
Annual births have plummeted from 6.8 million in 1961 to 3.55 million in 2024. This contraction leaves the EU vulnerable to scenarios similar to the current French labor crisis, where pension burdens threaten to outpace worker productivity. While the report notes that migrant fertility rates eventually align with host country averages, officials argue that the immediate influx of working-age individuals is the only viable path to offset the negative impacts of an aging population.
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