The third Demography Report published by the European Commission and the European Statistical Office (Eurostat) shows that Europeans are living longer and healthier lives. The report confirms recent trends and brings new data on fertility, life expectancy and migration with a special focus on mobility and migration, in issues such as cross-border working experiences and family patterns. These data are key in order to adjust certain policy developments according to the demographic changes a real population needs.

The Third European Demography Report presented by the European Commission at the informal Ministerial meeting on demography and family policy held in Budapst, shows a positive trend regarding fertility which continues to rise slowly. According to the report it has increased from below 1.45 children per women to 1.6. However, for a population to be self-sustaining, 2.1 children per woman would be required.

Life expectancy has also been increasing in an almost continuous and uniform trend at the rate of 2-3 months every year, being the main driver behind the population ageing. The data about population ageing has become an even more relevant one taking into account its incidence in policies such as retirement age and pensions systems revision or which currently at stake due to the economic crisis. At the same time, the demographic challenge is also geographical with populations in four Member states decreasing rapidly – Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania, under the effects of natural growth and outward-migration.

The report points to modern family policies as a good way to improve employment through better reconciliation between paid work and family commitments. It shows a positive correlation between women's participation in work and higher fertility rates. Furthermore, in terms of intra-EU mobility, the new Eurobarometer survey shows that one in five of the EU-27 respondents has either worked, or studied in another country, lived with a partner form another country or owns property abroad, trends which also need to be addresses by public policies such as the clarification of property rights for international couples or the regulation about the law applying to cross-border marriages' divorces.

The report also shows how Europe's population growth is still fuelled mainly by immigration. Non-EU citizens have been joining EU countries at a rate of 1 to 2 million per year and intra-EU mobility has also increased. By 2060 the proportion of migrants and their descendants will double. Although net immigration to the EU halved following the crisis, the total number of non-EU nationals within EU borders still continued to rise. Data shows this fall has been due to a drop in migration for employment, yet there has been an increase in requests for permits for education for example.

New data also show that second generation-migrants tend to achieve levels similar to locals in education and strive to reach similar levels in employment, but are still held back by high unemployment rates. This is a particular area where the EU needs to continue promoting active inclusion policies and measures to foster integration.

The report was presented during the thematic week Europe for Families, Families for Europe – Population Issues and Policies Awareness Week organised in Budapest by the Hungarian Presidency. The Commission also presented the results of a Eurobarometer survey on new Europeans. The survey was commissioned to gain insight into peoples’ connectedness to other countries. Those data will feed into the debate ahead of possible communication on demography and the European Year 2012 dedicated to active ageing.