The Netherlands needs to be better prepared for an ageing European Union
Europe is ageing rapidly. The share of pensioners in Europe will roughly double in the next thirty years. This requires intervention, to mitigate negative effects on Europe as a whole, including on the Netherlands. This is what the Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR) argues for in its advisory report Europese vergrijzing in het vizier. Omgaan met pensioen- en begrotingsrisico’s [In English: European ageing in focus. Dealing with pension and budgetary risks].
The WRR advises that the Netherlands should get the ageing of other EU countries on its radar, and should start anticipating a much greyer European Union.The Netherlands is located in the heart of a rapidly ageing continent and is economically and politically closely intertwined with other EU countries. Our current and future prosperity and security therefore depend on a strong European Union that can withstand the consequences of an ageing population.
Exceptional position
The Netherlands occupies an exceptional position within Europe with relatively large pension assets and limited ageing. The report shows how pension and ageing challenges can lead to political, economic and social tensions within the EU. That is harmful for Europe and for the Netherlands. That is why the issue of European ageing should feature more prominently on Dutch and European political and policy agendas and in society.
English Summary available
The English summary of the report Europese vergrijzing in het vizier. Omgaan met pensioen- en begrotingsrisico’s is now available and can be downloaded from the website. The WRR presented the report to the Dutch government on 25th of September 2024. A full translation of the report is expected to be published in the first half of 2025 in the series Research for Policy. Studies by the Netherlands Council for Government Policy by Springer.