Analysis of official European data shows that the number of newborns in the EU countries decreased by 5.4% in 2023, reaching a mark of 3.67 million children. This is the most significant decrease in a decade among the bloc countries that are facing demographic problems.
According to Eurostat, the fertility rate in 27 EU countries was 1.38 children per woman, which is lower than 1.46 in 2022 and significantly below the "replacement level" of 2.1, indicating the stability of the population size.
"This is the largest annual decrease recorded since 1961," reported Eurostat, which began collecting aggregate data on the EU since that year. The number of births in Europe is constantly decreasing.
It is worth noting the analysts' statement that "an aging population and declining numbers may have a negative impact on the economy and social sphere in EU countries."
