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The lack of coherence in European countries' policies towards single parents and the variation in the benefits available to them will made it extremely difficult to draw up a code of practice for the European Community (EC) as whole. Single-parent families account for an estimated 10% of families in the EC. Over 90% of these are headed by single mothers, the majority of whom are middle-aged and separated or divorced. In the UK, single parent families account for 14% of families with children, compared with less than 5% in Greece. The situation of single mothers in Portugal and Denmark is discussed.

A report by the European Commission's statistical office published on Mar. 4, 1996, forecasts that the number of people aged over 60 in the European Union (EU) will increase by 37 million, or nearly 50%, by 2025. The number of people aged between 20 and 59 will fall by 13 million, while the number of people aged under 20 will fall by nearly 10 million. Pensioners will account for nearly 1/3 of the EU's population by 2025 and the report makes it clear that a change in the population balance will create huge social and demographic pressures in some countries.