The IMF pointed to the aging of Europe's population and its lagging productivity

European countries are facing an aging population, a sharp increase in energy costs and lagging behind global productivity levels. This was announced on April 25 by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

"Europe's economy is suffering from these changes, as it has only just begun to recover from recent shocks, its public spending needs are growing, public debt is high, and medium—term growth prospects are weak," the document says, published on the organization's website.

The IMF said that Europe needs to keep its markets open and adapt to the new economic conditions that have arisen due to the introduction of US trade duties. It is also clarified that private investment and productivity growth in the region have slowed down.

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The day before, Maxim Chirkov, associate professor of the Department of Economic Policy and Economic Measurements at GUU, said that the economic losses of the European Union (EU) due to the sanctions confrontation with Russia already amount to trillions of dollars. The expert added that the European authorities will eventually be forced to reconsider their position.

On the same day, Georgy Ostapkovich, director of the HSE Center for Economic Studies, said that there are risks of a large-scale financial and economic crisis in the EU and the United States. The reasons for this may be rising prices and inflation, as well as tightening monetary policy.