BRUSSELS, 24 February 2026 (Hina) – Croatia has presented what it describes as Europe’s most generous family support measures at a major conference in the European Parliament, positioning itself at the forefront of efforts to tackle the continent’s deepening demographic crisis.
Croatia’s Minister of Demography and Immigration, Ivan Šipić, outlined the government’s policies at a conference titled “European and National Responses to the Demographic Winter”, organised by Croatian Member of the European Parliament Sunčana Glavak within the European Parliament’s Intergroup.
Full-Salary Parental Benefits up to €3,000
Šipić stressed that no other country in Europe currently offers maternity and parental benefits equivalent to a full salary of up to €3,000 per month.
“Measures such as full salary maternity and parental allowances of up to three thousand euros are unmatched anywhere in Europe,” Šipić said.
He called for Croatia’s approach to be recognised at EU level and urged that greater funding for family support be included in the European Union’s next Multiannual Financial Framework.
“Demography is not a sprint, it is a marathon,” Šipić said. “Our immediate focus is halting negative trends. A real turning point will come when the entire state and the European Union understand that this is the priority of all priorities. If there are no people, what is the point of building bridges, roads, hospitals and schools?”
Although Croatia recorded positive demographic indicators last year, Šipić cautioned that the government would not become complacent.
Diaspora Return Central to Strategy
A key pillar of Croatia’s demographic renewal strategy is encouraging the return of Croatian emigrants and their descendants.
Šipić highlighted Croatia’s safety as a major advantage, noting that many families are returning due to both security and the government’s support measures, which range from affordable housing initiatives to tax relief.
“The return of our diaspora is fundamental to long-term demographic recovery,” he said.
EU Fertility Rate at 1.35
European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, who is responsible for demographic issues, warned that Europe’s demographic outlook is “very poor”.
The average fertility rate across the EU currently stands at 1.35 children per woman. To maintain population stability, the rate would need to reach 2.1.
“I would not like to wake up in ten years’ time and say that we did nothing,” Šuica said, stressing that meaningful action must take place at local, regional, national and European levels.
She revealed that the European Commission is working with the Croatian government and Prime Minister to establish a European Demography Agency, bringing together demographers, sociologists and other experts.
A European Demography Forum is also set to be launched soon, potentially paving the way for a future Council of Ministers for Demography.
Šuica added that Croatia could serve as a model for other EU member states and expressed regret that not all countries have established dedicated ministries for demography.
Glavak argued that demography must also be viewed through the lens of security.
“Croatia is one of the few countries to have a Ministry of Demography, and that is something to be proud of,” she said, adding that demographic policy is a horizontal issue that cuts across all sectors.
Croatian MEP Tomislav Sokol described demography as currently the European Union’s biggest challenge.
He pointed to declining fertility rates driven by cultural change, evolving lifestyles and what he described as the devaluation of marriage and traditional values in recent decades.
Sokol rejected the idea that Europe’s demographic crisis could be resolved through large-scale immigration from culturally incompatible regions.
“The demographic problem will not be solved by mass imports of people from countries that are not culturally compatible with Europe,” he said. “We need long-term solutions that strengthen birth rates and encourage the return of our diaspora.”
Croatia Seeking EU Leadership Role
As Europe grapples with ageing populations and shrinking workforces, Croatia is increasingly positioning itself as a leader in demographic policy within the European Union.
With fertility rates across the bloc at historic lows and structural population decline accelerating, the debate in Brussels underscored growing recognition that demographic sustainability may become one of the defining policy challenges of the coming decades.
Croatia’s message was clear: without people, there is no future prosperity, and action must begin now.