(Co)financer: European Commision

Duration: 1. 3. 2026 - 28. 2. 2028

Head of the project at UL SEB

Jože Sambt PhD

Short project description

The European social state is based on an intergenerational contract that ensures social security for both young and older people—through the public finance system as well as within the family, in the form of financial support, care, and emotional assistance. A key factor is maintaining a balance between active and inactive generations, as well as investing in young people, since they ensure the future sustainability of the system. However, this balance is under pressure. Low birth rates, increasing life expectancy, and the ageing of the baby-boom generation are leading to a smaller number of economically active individuals and a rapid growth of the elderly population. As a result, pressures on intergenerational transfers are increasing, while at the same time the structure of families and households is changing. Demographic changes are intertwined with global challenges such as digital transformation, climate change, and shifts in the labor market. These processes place additional strain on public finances, care systems, and support among family members.

The main objective of the FAIRGENs project is therefore to provide a comprehensive analysis of intergenerational transfers and the mechanisms of fairness in Europe. The project will improve understanding of these processes among policymakers, researchers, and citizens; it will develop a conceptual framework for intergenerational justice; prepare inclusive policy scenarios; and design a roadmap for its long-term sustainability. In addition, the project will deliver results and recommendations for shaping fair and sustainable intergenerational policies in European countries.

Project Coordinator

• Szkola Glowna Handlowa W Warszawie, Poland

Consortium members

• Universita Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, Italy
• Draxis Research Ventures Astiki Mi Kerdoskopiki Etairia, Greece
• Népesedési Kutatások Alapítvány, Hungary
• Malmo Universitet, Sweden
• Technische Universitaet Wien, Austria
• Technische Universitat Dortmund, Germany
• Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain
• University of Ljubljana, School of Economics and Business, Slovenia
• Osterreichisches Institut fur Wirtschaftsforschung Verein, Austria
• Ekonomicky Ustav Slovenskej Akademie Vied, Slovakia
• Oesterreischische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Austria

Associated partners

• Universitat Liechtenstein, Liechtenstein