European countries, including the DIALOG countries, have faced a major de- graphic change and transition in the last thirty years. They are experiencing lo- term downward trends in fertility, leading to demographic ageing. Fertility rates are now below replacement level in nearly all countries. As a result, natural p- ulation growth rates are starting to decline, or population sizes are falling o- right. At the same time, the proportion of elderly dependants continues to grow while the working-age population declines in absolute and relative terms (see Kontula and Miettinen 2005). Moreover, net immigration, which potentially could offset declines in working-age population, remains generally low in most European countries (Grant et al. 2004). There are a great number of societal problems that arise from this demographic transition. The International Monetary Fund (2004) argues that the impact of - coming demographic changes on economical growth could be substantial. The h- toric association between demographicand macro-economicvariablessuggests that the projected increase in elderly dependency ratios and the projected decline in the share of the working-age population could result in slower per capita GDP growth, and lower saving and investment (IMF 2004, 147). For example, the estimates s- gest that demographic change could reduce annual real per capita GDP growth in 1 1 advanced countries by an average of / % point by 2050, i. e. , growth would be / % 2 2 point lower than if the demographic structure had remained the same as in 2000 (IMF 2004, 147).

International comparative analysis of surveys on demographic change based on about 34000 interviews in 14 European countries

1. Demographic Trends, population related policies and general attitudes,- 1.1. Demographic change and family policy regimes Osmo Kontula / Ismo Soederling,- 1.2. Demographic knowledge and evaluation of demographic trends Jürgen Dorbritz,- 1.3. Who should take care for them? Expectations placed on the welfare state and its influence on attitudes towards care for the elderly Ralf Mai / Robert Naderi / Peter Schiman2. Changing attitudes on population policies? A comparison between the first and second rounds of the PPAS Jürgen Dorbritz3. Comparative Delphi-Study,- 3.1. 2030: Another Europe? Results from the policy-Delphi study Rossella Palomba / Pierre Dell'Anno,- 3.2. Action programs of socio-political actors. A cross-national comparision, taking account of contextual factors and opinion of the populace Alfred Bertschinger,- 3.3. Making dialogue possible: The view of Delphi panellists and citizens on female employment Adele Menneti / Maura Misiti4. Gender roles,- 4.1. Family-related gender attitudes. The three dimensions: 'gender-role ideology' , 'consequences for the family' , and ' economic consuquences' Dimiter Philipov,- 4.4. Gender and Fertility - Attitudes towards gender roles and fertility behaviour Kerstin Ruckdeschel5. International Solidarity and Elderly,- 5.1. Attitudes towards population ageing and older people Ronald Schoenmaeckers / Lieve Vanderleyden / Lucie Vidovicova / Marc Callens,- 5.2. Activating older workers: policies versus opinions and expectations Janina Jozwiak / Irena E. Kotowska / Anita Abramowska,- 5.3. Only fools rush in? On transition to retirement Beatrice Manea / Ladislac Rabusic / Lucie Vidovicova6. Policy Implications and Conclusions,- 6.1. The Need to adapt and reform social policy: setting the stage for effective population-friendly policies Dragana Avramov / Robert Cliquet,- 6.2. Conclusions Charlotte HöhnAnnex: PPAS-Questionnaire(s), CD-Rom