EU birth rates hit record lows

The European statistical agency Eurostat has published new data: 3.67 million children will be born in the EU countries in 2023. This is 5.4 per cent less than in 2022, when 3.88 million births were registered. This sharp decline is the largest annual drop in the EU birth rate since 1961.

The average fertility rate in the EU has fallen to 1.38 children per woman, down from 1.46 in 2022. This indicates a continuing demographic crisis caused by a complex of factors ranging from economic instability to lifestyle changes and late motherhood.

Bulgaria has the highest birth rate among EU countries in 2023 with 1.81 children per woman. This is followed by France with 1.66 and Hungary with 1.55.

At the other end of the ranking are the countries with the lowest rates. Malta recorded 1.06 children per woman, Spain 1.12 and Lithuania 1.18.

Luxembourg's birth rate was 1.25, putting the country in the group with some of the lowest rates in the EU. This is lower than in Germany (1.3) and Italy (1.24), but higher than in Malta or Spain.

Despite its high standard of living, Luxembourg faces the same problems as other European countries. The main reasons for the low birth rate are:

• High housing and child-rearing costs.
• Late age of marriage and the birth of the first child.
• Career priorities among young families.
• Difficulties with the availability of kindergartens, despite financial support from the state.

The demographic situation in the EU remains tense. Despite migration flows that partially compensate for natural population decline, the falling birth rate is alarming. An ageing society, a declining working-age population and increased pressure on social systems are just some of the consequences.

Experts note that even in countries with relatively high fertility (e.g. France), rates are gradually declining. The main reasons include economic uncertainty, high costs of raising children, changing life priorities among younger generations and delayed marriage.

A number of EU countries have already introduced family support measures, such as financial subsidies for having children, tax breaks and affordable kindergartens, but so far these steps have failed to reverse the general trend. Luxembourg also has a family support programme, but the birth rate remains well below the replacement level of 2.1.

Declining fertility in the EU is becoming an increasingly visible problem. If the trend continues, Europe will face even more profound demographic changes in the coming decades, including labour shortages and increasing pressure on pension systems.