Demography and Mental Competitiveness in the European Union
Demography and Mental Competitiveness in the European Union" was the title of a roundtable discussion held at the MCC Fest in Esztergom, where our experts highlighted the links between the European demographic situation, mental health and competitiveness. The participants agreed that the mental health and childbearing behaviour of Europeans is a crucial, even fateful issue for the future and competitiveness of the European Union.
Tünde Fűrész, President of KINCS, the moderator of the discussion, pointed out Europe's demographic challenges and the deterioration of mental health of Europeans, which are closely linked to the crises of recent years.
Dr. Péter Molnár Balázs, Deputy State Secretary for European Affairs, presented the main objectives of the Hungarian EU Presidency, which also focuses on tackling demographic challenges and improving competitiveness. He stressed that European competitiveness is also significantly linked to demographic trends.
Prof. Dr. Ágnes Engler pointed out that Hungary, building on its internal resources, focuses on increasing the willingness to have children, unlike countries that want to solve demographic and labour market challenges through mass migration. The Head of the Education Research Centre of KINCS says that in addition to financial benefits, it would be very important to improve the country’s mental state in order to support families.
Melinda Hal, clinical psychologist and economist, said that mental health is the most important issue to be addressed in the next ten years, affecting all aspects of life. She added: It is no use having a great family policy if people's mental health can't respond to crisis situations.
