This is to ensure that the construction of the euro area is supported by all pillars determining its stability and resilience and that it relies on rules and institutions controlling the mutual interdependence between the stability of the whole and each of its parts.
According to projections from the Bureau of the Census, shown in the shaded area of exhibit 1, the upward trend in aging will steepen noticeably in the next few years. The share of the adult population that is aged 62 and older, now at about 19 percent, is projected to rise to more than 22 percent by 2015.