Europe's population getting older

BRUSSELS, April 2 (UPI) -- Life expectancy among many Europeans is increasing at the rate of up to three months per year as the workforce shrinks, an EU official said Friday.

EU Social Affairs Commissioner Laszlo Andor told EUobserver the trend is happening "very quickly" in some European countries.

In short, the population is getting older.

A recent demography report found low fertility rates in Europe and predicted an overall population decline from 2050 on.

EUobserver reported that in 2008 the average life expectancy was 76 for men and 82 for women, with the oldest citizens of both genders found in Spain, France, Italy and Sweden. The shortest life spans were reported in Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary and Romania.