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Fiscal Sustainability and Demographic Change: A Micro Approach for 27 EU Countries

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  • Dolls, Mathias

    (Ifo Institute for Economic Research)

  • Doorley, Karina

    (Economic and Social Research Institute, Dublin)

  • Paulus, Alari

    (ISER, University of Essex)

  • Schneider, Hilmar

    (University of Luxembourg)

  • Siegloch, Sebastian

    (University of Cologne)

  • Sommer, Eric

    (AXA AG)

Abstract

The effect of demographic change on the labor force and on fiscal revenues is topical in light of potential pension shortfalls. This paper evaluates the effect of demographic changes between 2010 and 2030 on labor force participation and government budgets in the EU-27. Our analysis involves the incorporation of population projections, and an explicit modeling of the supply and demand side of the labor market. Our approach overcomes a key shortcoming of most existing studies that focus only on labor supply when assessing the effects of policy reforms. Ignoring wage reactions greatly understates the increase in fiscal revenues, suggesting that fiscal strain from demographic change might be less severe than currently perceived. Finally, as a policy response to demographic change and worsening fiscal budgets, we simulate the increase in the statutory retirement age. Our policy simulations confirm that raising the statutory retirement age can balance fiscal budgets in the long run.

Suggested Citation

  • Dolls, Mathias & Doorley, Karina & Paulus, Alari & Schneider, Hilmar & Siegloch, Sebastian & Sommer, Eric, 2015. "Fiscal Sustainability and Demographic Change: A Micro Approach for 27 EU Countries," IZA Discussion Papers 9618, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp9618
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    Cited by:

    1. Mathias Dolls & Karina Doorley & Alari Paulus & Hilmar Schneider & Eric Sommer, 2019. "Demographic change and the European income distribution," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 17(3), pages 337-357, September.
    2. Holly Sutherland, 2018. "Quality Assessment of Microsimulation Models The Case of EUROMOD," International Journal of Microsimulation, International Microsimulation Association, vol. 11(1), pages 198-223.
    3. Coda Moscarola, Flavia & Colombino, Ugo & Figari, Francesco & Locatelli, Marilena, 2020. "Shifting taxes away from labour enhances equity and fiscal efficiency," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 367-384.
    4. Jörg Paetzold & Markus Tiefenbacher, 2018. "Distributional and revenue effects of a tax shift from labor to property," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 25(5), pages 1215-1251, October.
    5. Lee, R., 2016. "Macroeconomics, Aging, and Growth," Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging, in: Piggott, John & Woodland, Alan (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 0, pages 59-118, Elsevier.
    6. Martin Beznoska & Tobias Hentze, 2017. "Demographic change and income tax revenue in Germany: a microsimulation approach," Public Sector Economics, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 41(1), pages 71-84.
    7. Davide Bazzana, 2020. "Ageing population and pension system sustainability: reforms and redistributive implications," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 37(3), pages 971-992, October.
    8. María del Carmen Ramos-Herrera & Simón Sosvilla-Rivero, 2020. "Fiscal Sustainability in Aging Societies: Evidence from Euro Area Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-20, December.
    9. Russell, Helen & McGinnity, Frances & Fahey, Éamonn & Kenny, Oona, 2018. "Maternal employment and the cost of childcare in Ireland," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS73, June.
    10. Claudio Loser & Jose Fajgenbaum & Harpaul Alberto Kohli & Ieva Vilkelyte, 2017. "How Aging Societies May Affect Global Growth Prospects," Global Journal of Emerging Market Economies, Emerging Markets Forum, vol. 9(1-3), pages 38-74, January.
    11. Doorley, Karina, 2018. "Taxation, Work and Gender Equality in Ireland," IZA Discussion Papers 11495, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    12. Olayiwola, Saheed O. & Osakede, Uche Abamba & Adeyemi, Francis O., 2023. "Fiscal Sustainability and Demographic Transition in Nigeria," African Journal of Economic Review, African Journal of Economic Review, vol. 12(1), March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    demographic change; fiscal effects; labor supply; labor demand; pension systems;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H68 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Forecasts of Budgets, Deficits, and Debt
    • J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure

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