What can we do about this challenge?

The EU means that the best solution is to raise the retirement age. That way they will preserve a normal balance in the work marked.

The Norwegian goverment also intends to increase the retirement age. Today the people retire around 63-65. In the future the retirement age will be 67-69 years. Part time working will also be more and more mandatory.

Pros and cons

The most positive thing about the ageing populations is that people live longer and older people are enjoying better health. Then again, by living a very long life you might experience illnesses caused by the ageing process, which you would not have lived long enough to get 20 years ago.
The younger generation will have to support the elderly generation, by paying higher taxes and working longer because the government would not be able to pay increasing amount of pensions.

Statistics in EU

• The number of people 80+ will grow by 180% by 2050

• The EU’s fertility rate fell to 1.48 in 2003, below the level needed to replace the population (2.1 children per woman).

• From 2005 to 2030 the number of people 65+ will rise by 52.3 %, while the age group of 15-64 will decrease by 6.8%.

• The ratio of dependent young and old people to people of working age will increase from 49% in 2005 to 66% in 2030, we will need an employment rate of over 70 %.

Find more at: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_OFFPUB/KS-SF-10-001/EN/KS-SF-10-001-EN.PDF

The ageing population

As a result of medical advances, better healthcare systems and an overall rise in population, people in the rich world are living longer. At the same time, families are smaller because fewer babies are born. This means that there will be more old people to consume resources, than young people to maintain them. This situation will be particularly acute in European countries.