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Topics: Social conditions

  • Quality of life in Germany is more than just making ends meet

    Germany’s commanding position in Europe in recent years has largely been due to its reputation as an economic powerhouse. Its place in Europe in years to come may well be defined by its ability to also become a powerhouse for social cohesion and integration.

  • Tune in at 09:30 CET on 8 March and watch: Access to and quality of public services in the EU - a debate on improving quality of life

    Eurofound and the European Economic and Social Committee, under the banner of the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU, bring together representatives of the social partners, EU institutions, national and regional representatives, practitioners, civil society and academics to debate on access and quality of public services in EU28, as highlighted in Eurofound’s European Quality of Life Survey.

  • Evidence-based research is fundamental to gender equality in Europe

    Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March we invite you to explore the issue of gender equality in depth, to read about the different areas in which gender equality is most urgently needed. Eurofound assists in the development of better social, employment and work-related policies for all EU citizens and those that call Europe home.

  • Recent developments in work–life balance in Finland

    ​The European Quality of Life Survey explores a variety of aspects related to living standards, health, family and work–life balance, as well as people's happiness levels, and their perceptions regarding the quality of their society. The latest survey results for Finland paint a generally positive picture of the country in 2016, just a year before the 100th anniversary of its independence.

  • People on lower incomes in Europe economising on food to make ends meet

    People in the lowest income quartile in the EU are going without fresh fruit and vegetables to save, and a higher proportion are buying cheaper cuts of meat or buying less meat because of money concerns. This practice is occurring throughout Europe, but there are vast differences between Member States.

  • Save the Date 8 March: Access and quality of public services, a debate on improving quality of life

    ​On 8 March 2018, Eurofound and the European Economic and Social Committee, under the banner of the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU, will bring together up to 80 representatives of the social partners, EU institutions, national and regional representatives, civil society, and academics in Brussels to debate the key themes highlighted in Eurofound’s ​European Quality of Life Survey 2016​.

  • Taking a closer look at life satisfaction in the EU

    Nearly 37,000 people in 33 European countries were interviewed in the last quarter of 2016 for the fourth wave of the European Quality of Life Survey. The overview report presents the findings for the EU Member States. The survey revealed interesting findings in relation to life satisfaction, employment status, education, income, and household type.

  • Publication Alert: EQLS overview report

    ​The overview report for the latest European Quality of Life Survey is now online. Nearly 37,000 people in 33 European countries were interviewed in the last quarter of 2016 for the fourth wave of the European Quality of Life Survey. This overview report presents the findings for the EU Member States.

  • Who is providing care home services for older people in Europe?

    In this blog piece Eurofound Research Officer Daniel Molinuevo looks at the changes in care home provision for older Europeans since the economic crisis, and the rising importance of long-term care from both a social and economic perspective.

  • Composition of NEETs in Europe

    ​'NEET' is a broad label and includes young people in very diverse situations. This graph shows the composition of NEETs in the EU.

  • The hidden potential of Europe’s economically inactive

    In this blog piece, originally published in Social Europe, Eurofound Research Manager Anna Ludwinek looks at the substantial section of the population that is not working and does not figure in unemployment statistics, but retains significant employment potential.

  • The scarring effect of long-term youth unemployment

    Young people are more affected than other age groups by long-term unemployment. While long-term youth unemployment is certainly not a new policy challenge for Europe, it now affects a wider range of young people than it ever did before.

  • Europe – a world-class place to live and work?

    The results from the most recent European Quality of Life Survey show overall progress in the areas of quality of life, quality of society and quality of public services. We have seen improvements for many, although from low points following the economic crisis.

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