Volume 11, Number 22

May 15, 2008

New Report Urges the European Union to Support Pro-natalist Policies

By Maciej Golubiewski

     (WASHINGTON, DC – C-FAM) Last week, the Spain-based Institute for Family Policy issued its second annual report at the European Parliament in Brussels, warning of the catastrophic consequences of demographic decline.  “The Evolution of the Family in Europe 2008” sets forth nation-by-nation critical demographic indicators that point to continent-wide lower birth rates, higher divorce rates, increasing abortion rates as well as a trend to postpone marriage.  The sixty-page report also compares family policies in member states as well as that of the European Union (EU) as a whole, concluding with a set of comprehensive policy proposals.

     The report points to immigration as the main source of population growth in Europe, which does not prevent European countries from becoming elderly societies.  Bulgaria and Germany have the fewest young people, while Italy and Germany have the largest elderly populations.  In 2007 there were almost a million fewer babies born than in 1982.  Eastern European countries lead with critically low birth rates, with Slovakia and Poland failing to reach a rate of 1.3 per family.  For the population to replace itself, the rate should be 2.1.

     Abortion, together with cancer, emerges as the leading cause of death in Europe, with 1.2 million abortions each year, translating into one abortion every 27 seconds.  The highest increase in abortion rates has been experienced by Spain, whose government has recently instituted many new social policies, including legalization of same-sex marriage.

     Another trend underlined in the report is the increase of cohabitation.  In 2007 there were over seven hundred thousand fewer marriages than in 1980, translating to a 25% decrease.  This trend is most prevalent among new member states – Bulgaria, Slovenia and Hungary – where the marriage rate fell by more than 50%.  Accompanying this tendency is the increase in out-of-wedlock births.  One out of three children is born outside of marriage in Europe.  Divorce is also on the upswing, with 365,000 more divorces in 2007 than in 1980.  That, coupled with shorter marriages, leads to more single-parent families and contributes to the existence of childless households.

     The final part of the report contains a series of recommendations, both for individual member states and the EU as a whole.  It criticizes traditionally Catholic countries such as Poland, Spain, Portugal and Italy of setting aside a meager one percent of the GDP for the support of the family, whereas the member state average is 2.1 percent.  The report proposes setting aside 2.5% of national GDP for direct family assistance programs, reducing value added taxes on essential infant products, and “increasing tax convergence in Europe to make it more family oriented.”  With regards to the EU, it urges European institutions to recognize supporting the family as a policy priority.  The report calls on the EU to promote the family as a universal institution with attendant rights (including the right of parents to educate their children) through various means, such as creating an EU Commission for the Family and encouraging cooperation among member states in promoting family-friendly policies. 

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