Communiqué, issue 1, 2004
Articles
- Similar perceptions of quality of life across Europe
- Higher collective bargaining levels in EU than Japan and USA
- Migration levels likely to be small, survey reveals
- Sharpening Europe's competitive edge
- Spotlight on working conditions in two sectors
- A road map for conflict resolution
- Working conditions: an international comparison
- Europe's small economies worst hit by industrial restructuring cases
- Part-time workers still experience adverse working conditions
Previous issues of Communiqué
Having a good job is ranked most important to ensure a good life, and the fight against unemployment is universally perceived to be one of the most important means of improving the economic and social conditions of family life. These are among the main conclusions from a joint study on living conditions and quality of life by the European Commission and the Foundation, providing a social picture of the current European Union (EU 15) and the acceding and candidate countries (ACC 13) on the eve of enlargement.
'The results of the survey support an integrated employment policy, focusing on higher employment rates to achieve better quality jobs,' said Willy Buschak, the Foundation’s Acting Director. 'With this report, we have for the first time an analysis of social conditions across the "new Europe". It also represents the launching pad for the Foundation’s monitoring initiative on quality of life in Europe, complementing the industrial relations and working conditions monitoring tools.'
The good life
The survey finds that good health, sufficient income and having a family are the three main factors contributing to a good life for the majority of Europeans. When other less important factors are analysed, some differences appear between the EU 15 and the ACC 13: a good job, good relationship with a partner, having children, and adequate accommodation are mentioned more frequently in the ACC 13 than in the EU 15. Having enough leisure time to enjoy life is also relatively more important in the EU 15.
Money matters
The next wave of enlargement will widen the range of economic inequality across the EU - from 2.8 times higher GDP per capita in the current EU 15 to 6.5 times in the EU 25, thus shifting the north-south divide in economic development and living standards to an east-west bias. Overall, the report found that life satisfaction in the 28 countries is strongly linked to income level and GDP per capita. Deficits within the ACC 13 on traditional economic indicators are matched by poor life satisfaction scores. Bulgaria, Romania and Latvia reported the lowest levels of satisfaction with life ever recorded in EU surveys.
The focus of EU policy on economic convergence is therefore justified as a means to improve quality of life in acceding countries, argues the report. GDP growth and economic catch-up will over time result in improved life satisfaction on the ACC 13.
Having a good job most important
The majority of Europeans agree that having a job provides not only income but also social contacts, self-esteem and a better quality of life. Those who have been unemployed for at least two years over the previous five years report lower satisfaction with life in general, with family life, with social life, and with health than those who have been in continuous employment.
The complete Perceptions of living conditions in an enlarged Europe report and the seven comparative studies on quality of life are available.