Trends Identified
Growing erosion of European solidarity
The EU Cohesion Policy for the period 2013-2020 is an important element to boost public and private investment and contribute to economic growth, employment, sustainable development and social cohesion in the EU and the LRAs. However, cash strapped LRAs are challenged to have sufficient access to the necessary financial resources to be able to use the EU Cohesion Policy effectively.43 The challenge is related to more decentralisation of key powers from central to subnational governments; however, this trend has not been followed by the transfer of financial resources.
2014
Challenges at the horizon 2025
European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS)
Growing global and EU urbanisation
In 1950 only one in three people in the world lived in urban areas. By 2007 every other person lived in an urban environment. The projected urban share of global population is estimated to rise further to 60% in 2030. The figure in Europe is 2/3 rds of the European population living in urban areas (see graph), and this share continues to grow with nearly 80% living in urban areas by 2030.85 While the situation varies throughout the EU, there are big contrasts between rural and urban communities.
2014
Challenges at the horizon 2025
European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS)
Growing healthy in a sluggish world
How can Singapore grow more dynamic and resilient as an economy, given concerns about sluggish global growth and the implications for Singapore.
2017
Foresigth
Singapore, The Centre for Strategic Futures
Growing immigration and problems of integrating minorities
Immigration in the EU will continue but decelerate between 2010 and 2060. The EU annual net inflows are projected to rise from about 1,043,000 people in 2010 (0.2% of the EU population) to 1,332,500 by 2020 and thereafter declining to 945,000 people by 2060. The cumulated net migration to the EU over the entire projection period is 60.7 million. Migration trends vary across the EU Member States. Net migration flows are likely to be concentrated to a few destination countries: Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. Countries currently experiencing a net outflow are projected to taper off or reverse in the coming decades.65 Effectively integrating migrants in their host society also presents challenges for integration policy, particularly in view of diversity and minorities. Migrants might be challenged by labour market and social integration barriers.
2014
Challenges at the horizon 2025
European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS)
Growing importance of health in the economy
Health presents a challenge for all nations; in a study by the Pew Research Center, a median of 85% of respondents believe it was a problem in their country. Effective public health systems are essential for providing care for the sick, and for instituting measures that promote wellness and prevent disease. Tobacco, for instance, is one of the greatest scourges we face. In working to combat diseases such as lung cancer and heart disease, we have to fight the causes; there’s a clear need for educational campaigns and other mechanisms to discourage people from smoking in the first place. If the plan to improve health
in a nation is to simply build a few more hospitals, that won’t solve the problem.
2014
Outlook on the global agenda 2015
World Economic Forum (WEF)
Growing in complicated times
Today’s CEOs face a business environment that’s becoming increasingly complicated to read and adapt to. Seven years on from the global financial crisis, the business landscape still hasn’t really returned to what it was. Will it ever? Last year regulation, skills, national debt, geopolitical uncertainty and taxes topped CEOs’ list of concerns about threats to business growth. None of these have gone away this year. In fact, the level of worry is higher today than at any point in the past five years. Concern about over-regulation in particular is still highest, cited by 79% of CEOs – making it the fourth year in a row that it’s risen (see Figure 1). Geopolitical uncertainty, meanwhile, has become the second biggest concern, cited by 74% of business leaders. This comes at a time when terror attacks are increasing and touching every part of the world, many linked to the heightened conflict in Iraq and Syria. Global conflicts are also connected to anxieties about social instability and readiness to respond to crises, named by 65% and 61% of CEOs, respectively. Cyber security is also a worry for 61% of CEOs, representing as it does threats to both national and commercial interests.
2016
19th Annual global CEO survey
PWC
Growing individual empowerment
Against the background of the economic and financial crisis, it is more urgent than ever to fundamentally review the manner in which society functions and to empower people to contribute actively in their communities to live as independently as long as possible
2014
Challenges at the horizon 2025
European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS)
Growing knowledge about citizens choices and preferences and the dawn of internet of things
While big data has many promises, the next challenge is how to best use that data while respecting the privacy concerns of European citizens. The most valuable big data information is about people going online and the digital trail that they leave behind. By making connections between different snippets of information, big data can reveal far more than ever intended. Inevitably that means the collection and use of big data is central to the debate on privacy and the use of personal data. The EU needs a data protection framework that builds that confidence and permits that digital innovation.
2014
Challenges at the horizon 2025
European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS)
Growing need for effective decision- making
Other challenges include ways for the EU to function more effectively and aggregate citizens’ voice more effectively in order to react to their concerns and build trust at every level of governance121. This is by all means the foremost important challenge the EU is facing over the coming decades.
2014
Challenges at the horizon 2025
European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS)
Growing need to restore citizens’ perceptions about voice
EU citizens have increasingly grown discontented about the functioning of the EU as a political system. When asked whether their voice matters in the EU a record 67% of the electorate thinks it does not.
2014
Challenges at the horizon 2025
European Strategy and Policy Analysis System (ESPAS)