This study is intended to improve understanding of the interrelations between policy and demographic change. It examines the interrelations between European government policies and demographic trends and behavior and assesses which policies can prevent or mitigate the adverse consequences of current low fertility and population ageing. To conduct this inquiry the research team created a framework that highlights the interrelationships among government policies macro-level conditions (such as economic trends medical advances and technological progress) and household-level demographic behavior all of which combine to influence population factors such as migration and population are structure. Guided by this framework three research tasks were carried out: the research literature was reviewed on the relationship between national level policies and a macro-level demographic trends and micro-level household behaviors; data were examined on European demographic trends; and case studies of five particular countries of interest were conducted: France Germany Poland Spain and Sweden. (excerpt)