THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
Europe has reached a demographic turning point. According to the European Commission’s latest Demography Report 2026, the continent’s population has reached its peak and will begin to decline in the coming decades. The report concludes that without immigration, the European Union’s population would shrink by around 130 million people by 2100, highlighting the crucial role migration plays in sustaining Europe’s economy and labour force.
The report projects that the EU population will peak at 453.3 million in 2029 before entering a long-term decline. Based on current migration trends, the population is expected to fall to about 399 million by 2100. Without migration, however, the decline would be far steeper, leaving the EU with roughly 130 million fewer inhabitants than under current projections.
The European Commission stresses that migration alone cannot reverse Europe’s demographic transformation. Persistently low birth rates, longer life expectancy and rapid population ageing mean that Europe will have fewer working-age people supporting a growing number of retirees. In 2024, the average fertility rate across the EU was 1.34 children per woman, well below the replacement level of 2.1. Meanwhile, people aged 65 and over are expected to account for around 30 per cent of the population by 2050. This has major implications for how Europe’s pension systems are financed.
Nevertheless, the report describes legal migration from non-EU countries as an important part of the solution. It says migrants can help fill labour shortages, support economic growth, strengthen innovation and contribute to the sustainability of pension, healthcare and social welfare systems. The Commission also emphasises that successful integration into the labour market is essential if Europe is to reap these benefits.
The findings come at a time when immigration remains one of Europe’s most politically contested issues. In 2024 alone, nearly 6 million people immigrated to EU countries, 4.2 million of them from outside the bloc. Several governments have adopted tougher migration policies in response to rising support for anti-immigration parties, even as employers in sectors such as healthcare, construction, information technology and manufacturing continue to report severe labour shortages.
The report reinforces the growing importance of legal migration pathways to Europe. Professionals, students and skilled workers from non-EU countries are expected to remain an important source of talent for European economies facing demographic decline. At the same time, the Commission argues that migration must be accompanied by policies that boost employment, improve housing, strengthen family support and encourage higher labour-force participation among women and older workers.
Sola Jolaoso
