The world’s population is set to peak towards the end of the century, while Europe’s population will decline over the same period.
A smaller population size does not automatically mean a country is weaker on the world stage.
However, shrinking and ageing populations pose a number of challenges to the EU and European states, including how to maintain the lure of the European single market and how to protect the continent from security threats.
European policymakers should ensure they take the demographic challenge into account when making decisions around completing the single market and pursuing EU enlargement; they should regard these…