CEE ages at a higher rate than the EU

Earlier this week, Eurostat published demographic data for the previous year, reaffirming the trend of an ageing population across the EU. The youngest populations are found in Ireland, Luxembourg, and Malta, where the median age remains below 40. Within CEE, Slovakia has the youngest demographic profile, reporting a median age of 42.6. However, Slovakia has also experienced the steepest increase in median age over the past decade (+4 years), placing it alongside Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Cyprus. The oldest populations in CEE are concentrated in the Balkans, particularly in Croatia (45.4), Slovenia (45.2), and Serbia (45.2). These countries have also seen increases in median age over the last ten years, ranging from 2 to 2.5 years. Interestingly, all CEE countries have their median age increase higher than the EU average. These demographic developments are expected to put increasing pressure not only on social welfare systems but also on the broader economic performance in the years ahead.