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Across the world fertility rates are falling and for the first time Europe is experiencing a sustained population decline. The average fertility rate for the European Union is 1.53 live births per woman. In Italy the fertility rate has remained low for the last thirty years, with an average 1.3 births per woman.

Some governments, who are concerned that not enough people are being born to keep their economies functioning in the long term are spending billions on incentives and policies to try and reverse the trend. But even in the Nordic countries, which are noted for some of the best family focused policies, these are proving ineffective against a markedly high drop in fertility rates over the last decade.

Society\u2019s attitudes on when or whether to start a family are shifting, so does this mean that we need to change the way we approach the issue or even adapt to a future with fewer people?

On this week\u2019s Inquiry, we\u2019re asking \u2018Can Europe reverse its falling fertility rates?\u2019

Contributors: \nAnna Rotkirch, Research Director, Population Research Institute, The Family Federation of Finland, Helsinki \nMichael Herrmann, Senior Advisor on Economics and Demography, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Turkey\nArnstein Aassve, Professor of Demography, Political Science Centre, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy \nTomas Sobotka, Deputy Director, Vienna Institute of Demography, Austrian Academy of Sciences

Presenter: Charmaine Cozier \nProducer: Jill Collins \nJournalism Researcher: Matt Toulson\nEditor: Tara McDermott \nTechnical Producers: Nicky Edwards and Toby James\nProduction Co-ordinator: Liam Morrey

Image Credit: PA via BBC Images