Interview with Manfred Hopfengärtner, Vice-President of the European Seniors’ Union (ESU)
Munich
Interview with Manfred Hopfengärtner, Vice-President of the European Seniors’ Union (ESU)
DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN EUROPE
– Consequences for Seniors and Challenges for European Governance –
Almost all European countries will face the challenges of an ageing population and a declining birth rate. Over the coming decade, not only the size but also the composition of the population is expected to change significantly: the proportion of older people and residents with diverse cultural backgrounds will increase.
Since 2010, a Summer Academy has been organised annually. In 2025, the Summer Academy will take place for the 16th time. Over the course of three days, experts, speakers, and representatives of seniors’ organisations will study and discuss “Demographic changes in Europe – Consequences for seniors and challenges for European governance” from various perspectives. Sub-themes will include digital developments, healthcare, the financial and economic position of older people, and political participation from a value-based perspective.
The insights gained, as well as the exchange of ideas and best practices, will serve as a source of inspiration for the ESU to develop policy proposals and initiatives. These will form the basis for a dialogue with relevant European and national policymakers.
With the conclusions of this Summer Academy, the aim is to provide the impetus for further exploration of specific themes, contributing to the creation of a ‘better Europe for all seniors in Europe’.
The Summer Academy is organised by the Wilfried Martens Center for European Studies in cooperation with Ceder (CD&V’s research department). We are also grateful for the assistance of CD&V seniors and the CDA’s research department for their efforts to support the event. The Summer Academy will take place in Bruges, Belgium.