Thursday, December 16, 2004
Not even immigrants can save Europe
The dependence of Europe on immigration has been highlighted by a United Nations report released November 29. The study predicts that even if Europe gains an average of 600,000 immigrants a year, its population will fall by 96 million by 2050. Without the new arrivals the decline would be an even more spectacular 139 million.
Already immigration is helping offset the impact of declining birth rates. Without it, the continent's population would have shrunk by over four million in the final years of last century.
But the UN says immigration would have to expand "at virtually impossible rates" if there are to be enough people of working age to finance childhood and retirement schemes. France, for example, is expected to receive 3.75 million migrants over the next 50 years, but would need to accept 90 million to achieve a satisfactory budgetary ratio between those in and out of work.
The dependence of Europe on immigration has been highlighted by a United Nations report released November 29. The study predicts that even if Europe gains an average of 600,000 immigrants a year, its population will fall by 96 million by 2050. Without the new arrivals the decline would be an even more spectacular 139 million.
Already immigration is helping offset the impact of declining birth rates. Without it, the continent's population would have shrunk by over four million in the final years of last century.
But the UN says immigration would have to expand "at virtually impossible rates" if there are to be enough people of working age to finance childhood and retirement schemes. France, for example, is expected to receive 3.75 million migrants over the next 50 years, but would need to accept 90 million to achieve a satisfactory budgetary ratio between those in and out of work.
