Archive:Population statistics introduced
Latest update of text: December 2011
As the population of the European Union (EU) grew beyond 500 million inhabitants in 2010, its structure continued to change. Recent demographic developments show that the EU's population is increasing, while its age structure is becoming older as post-war baby-boom generations reach retirement age. Furthermore, people are living longer, as life expectancy continues to increase. On the other hand, while fertility is increasing slowly, it remains well below a level that would keep the size of the population constant in the absence of inward or outward migration. As a result, the EU will, in the coming decades, face a number of challenges associated with an ageing society which will impact on a range of areas, including labour markets, pensions and provisions for healthcare, housing and social services.
Population change and the structure of the population are gaining importance in the political, economic, social and cultural context of demographic behaviour. Demographic trends in population growth, fertility, mortality and migration are closely followed by policymakers. EU policies, notably in social and economic fields, use demographic data for planning and for programme monitoring and evaluation.
Eurostat provides a wide range of demographic data, including statistics on populations at national and regional level, as well as for various demographic factors (births, deaths, marriages and divorces, immigration and emigration) influencing the size, the structure and the specific characteristics of these populations. Eurostat also collects detailed information on different areas related to migration and asylum: foreign resident populations, annual flows of immigrants and emigrants, persons acquiring citizenship, monthly and quarterly information on asylum applicants and on asylum decisions, residence permits issued to non-EU nationals and information on persons found illegally present in EU Member States. These statistics concerning migration and asylum provide the basis for the development and monitoring of EU policy initiatives in several areas, including: the impact of migration on labour markets, the promotion of migrant integration, the development of a common asylum system, the prevention of unauthorised migration, and trafficking in human beings.