“Can policies enhance fertility in Europe?” and questions beyond
Journal: Vienna Yearbook of Population Research
Volume: 2008, pages 29-34
Publisher: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften
DOI: 10.1553/populationyearbook2008s29
Nikolai Botev (1)
(1) United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Grosslingova 35, 81109 Bratislava, Slovakia. Email: botev@unfpa.org
Abstract
The question posed in the title of the international conference organised by the Vienna Institute of Demography in 2007 seems to be increasingly on the minds of policy makers, the academic community and the public at large. This is understandable, given that throughout most of Europe, period fertility indicators have reached very low levels and countries are facing rapidly changing age structures along with the prospect of population decrease. The mixed evidence about the effect of existing policies aimed at influencing fertility and the growing number of countries throughout Europe pursuing such policies suggest that the question of whether policies can enhance fertility in Europe needs to be asked in conjunction with another question, namely whether it is worthwhile to pursue policies aimed at enhancing fertility, given the uncertainty of their outcome. This second question can be answered affirmatively, if policies contribute to having healthier, better educated future generations, parents can combine their work and family responsibilities more easily, these policies are fiscally and economically feasible and sustainable, respect all rights and freedoms and are coherent with the policies pursued in other domains. The last statement raises at least two additional questions.