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Policy Insights

Researchers and collaboration partners of Population Europe as well as eminent experts from leading organisations contribute to the debate on demographic developments that are of public interest by providing insights into pressing policy issues.

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Innovative digital solutions hold great promise for supporting people who take care of older family members at home. But the gap between what technology provides and caregivers’ actual needs remains wide. For real impact, digitalisation efforts must become user-centered and accessible, addressing the everyday challenges of informal care.

For real impact, digitalisation efforts must become user-centered and accessible, addressing the everyday challenges of informal care.

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Education remains a key tool for social mobility, especially for lower-class students, and policies like scholarships and academic support programs are crucial. Yet, it’s unrealistic to think education alone can fix inequality.

Education remains a key tool for social mobility, especially for lower-class students, and policies like scholarships and academic support programs are crucial. Yet, it’s unrealistic to think education alone can fix inequality. 

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Which strategies can address Europe's skill shortage in the long term? Policymakers are discussing whether automation or migration could be effective. However, research shows that governments should be cautious about overly relying on either, as both these trends can be unpredictable and their effects short-lived. Instead, a resilient policy approach should focus on enhancing the attractiveness of labour markets.

How to deal with Europe's skill shortage? Research shows that governments should avoid relying on migration or automation to fix the labour market. Instead, the policy should aim to attract workers in a targeted way.

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Sustainability is no longer just about the environment—it’s about people. And the most pressing issues we face, such as climate change and resource management, are inextricably linked to population dynamics.

Sustainability is no longer just about the environment—it’s about people. And the most pressing issues we face, such as climate change and resource management, are inextricably linked to population dynamics.

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Recent crises, from the Great Recession to the COVID-19 pandemic, have sparked a debate among policymakers, politicians, and the public – about the urgent need for crisis resilience. Strengthening the resilience of individuals and communities is expected to reduce the vulnerability of our societies.

Resilience is about adapting through renewal. A resilient system is one that can evolve, by learning to better cope with crises in the future. As our experts point out in this article,  governments can enhance societal resilience, through three key activities.

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Historically, concert attendance increases with age across all generations studied: Older adults were never frequent concertgoers in their youth, indicating that interest in classical concerts develops later in life.

Historically, concert attendance increases with age across all generations studied: Older adults were never frequent concertgoers in their youth, indicating that interest in classical concerts develops later in life. 

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Family policies can have many unforeseen consequences. By examining Sweden’s “speed premium” policy, introduced in 1980, scholars at Stockholm University show that the policy was associated with a 24% increase in premature birth rates over the six years it was in force.

Family policies can have many unforeseen consequences. By examining Sweden’s “speed premium” policy, introduced in 1980,   Sol Pía Juárez and Enrico Debiasi show that the policy was associated with a 24% increase in premature birth rates over the six years it was in force. 

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Fertility trends can be relatively crisis-resilient. Numbers from two recent major crises in Europe show this. However, not all countries were able to stabilise or rebuild their fertility trends. New research by the EU-funded FutuRes project’s team at the SGH Warsaw School of Economics looks into resilience as a core concept for demographic change. Based on a recent review of research literature, they discuss how policies can enhance fertility resilience.

Birth rates have decreased in all EU countries. Multiple crises have aggravated this trend. However, there are signs of crisis resilience in birth rates and family planning, as new research by the EU-funded project FutuRes shows. Read here what this means for policy.

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Contrary to expectations, better gender equality does not seem to directly result in terms of higher fertility rates. Does this mean that the related policy challenges were wrongly framed? There is no doubt that gender equality continues to positively shape the opportunity structures for women and men to have children while pursuing careers.

There is no doubt that gender equality continues to positively shape the opportunity structures for women and men to have children while pursuing careers. Therefore, the push for gender equality is something that policy makers should continue to take seriously. 

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Even when respecting legitimate privacy concerns, the accessibility and use of register data for research purposes could be fundamentally improved in Europe.

Even when respecting legitimate privacy concerns, the accessibility and use of register data for research purposes could be fundamentally improved in Europe. This would not only help European research to stay competitive, but also improve science-informed policy planning.