PopDigests Policy Briefs Discussion Papers Policy Insights Books and Reports Yearbook Related Content News - GGP kicks off GGP-5D project Policy Insights - Support through the generations Event - Introducing longitudinal population studies: The ONS Longitudinal Study and the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England 2 Event - How far have we come, and where are we headed? Reaching 8 billion humans on the planet Event - Empirical prediction intervals applied to short term mortality forecasts and excess Event - Introduction to the 1970 British Cohort Study Policy Brief Europe's Citizens Should Have a Choice Toward a new policy of life course flexibility Key Messages Even a new baby-boom and high migration cannot prevent Europe from population ageing over the next decades. Population ageing and shrinking labour force will affect the productivity of the economy if no further reforms are undertaken. These reforms should include a redistribution of work over the life-course which will also require a new system of social protection. Document Download Population & Policy Compact 01/2011 (763.67 KB) Image Key Messages Even a new baby-boom and high migration cannot prevent Europe from population ageing over the next decades. Population ageing and shrinking labour force will affect the productivity of the economy if no further reforms are undertaken. These reforms should include a redistribution of work over the life-course which will also require a new system of social protection. References: Bengtsson, T. (Ed.) (2010): Population ageing - a threat to the welfare state? The case of Sweden. Springer. European Commission (2010). Green Paper towards adequate, sustainable and safe European pension systems (SEC(2010)830). European Parliament (2010). Report on the demographic challenge and solidarity between generations (2010/2027(INI)). European Parliament (2008). Report on the demographic future of Europe (2007/2156(INI)). Héran, F. (2005). The world population over the next three centuries: explosion, implosion or equilibrium? Population and Societies, no. 408. Sefton, T., Evandrou, M. & Falkingham, J. (2011). Family ties: women's work and family histories and their association with incomes in later life in the UK. Journal of Social Policy, 40(1), 41-69. Vaupel, J.W.: In search of time won: about the future of aging societies. In: Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science (Ed.), Annual Report 2008, pp. 47-50. Additional Information Authors of Original Article Falkingham OBE Héran Source Falkingham, J., Héran, F. & Vaupel, J. W. (2011). Europe's Citizens Should Have a Choice. Toward a new policy of life course flexibility. Population & Policy Compact 1, Berlin: Max Planck Society/Population Europe.