Panel Can we afford to age

Europe—already the world’s oldest continent demographically—is still ageing fast. In the EU, 22% of the population was aged 65 or over in 2024, up from 16% in 2004. The challenge is not just that people are living longer, but that more people are living for longer with multiple conditions and care needs that fall across different parts of the system and represent a significant cost for national economies. Moreover, in many European countries, healthcare and long-term care are funded, organised and debated separately, making it harder to decide who pays, who supports and who regulates. How can countries build ageing societies that are more joined-up, more resilient and more affordable? Moderator: Elizabeth Sukkar, senior research manager, global health and sustainability, policy & insights, Economist Enterprise Jonathan Cylus, head of London hubs, European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies Brendan Walsh, senior research officer, ESRI Patrick Kamphuis, vice-president, clinical research and biometrics, Danone (virtual) Deo Debattista, parliamentary secretary for active ageing, Government of Malta