Changes in the Fertility Rate in European Union Member States in the Context of Socio‑Economic Development

Abstract

Purpose | Contemporary demographic trends are playing an increasingly significant role in the context of socio-economic development prospects. One of the challenges facing EU Member States is low fertility rates. The aim of this article is therefore to identify the point in time when changes occurred in the fertility rate across the European Union and to compare these with the levels of socio-economic development achieved in those years. Research method | The article sets out the main hypothesis, namely that the decline in fertility rates in European Union member states is linked to the level of socio-economic development and is of a lasting nature. The hypothesis was tested using the relevant literature and data from Eurostat, the World Bank and the United Nations. Results | In the article the main hypothesis, that the decline in fertility rates in European Union countries is linked to the level of socio-economic development and is of a lasting nature, has been confirmed. Originality / value / implications / recommendations | In EU countries, the fertility rate fell to low (1.5) and very low (1.3) levels across a range of socio-economic development levels. In other words, the countries of the so-called “new EU” aged more rapidly than they became wealthier, in contrast to the so-called “old EU”.