Quality of life – Sharing data to shape better policies

New results for the EU candidate countries from the European Quality of Life Survey 2016

On 26 June 2018 in Belgrade, Eurofound will bring together up to 50 representatives of public authorities at European, national and regional level, trade unions, business, academic and civil society from the EU candidate countries - Albania, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey - to take part in a one-day seminar: 'Quality of life – sharing data to shape better policies'.

The seminar will draw on Eurofound’s recent European Quality of Life Survey and its fresh findings on life and society in the EU candidate countries. The survey results in the candidate countries provide new data to complement existing social statistics. The seminar will be a first opportunity for participants to discuss the findings and look at how the data can help set priorities and shape new policies.

The survey’s report shows results in three key areas: quality of life, quality of society and quality of public services. For the EU28 since the 2011 survey, levels of optimism are up, satisfaction with living standards has increased and some other quality of life indicators are back to pre-crisis levels in many countries. Nevertheless, persistent inequalities and rising uncertainties remain, for example, in perceived social exclusion, and people with lower income report less improvement in the quality of public services. Particular differences are apparent between countries, gender, age and income groups.

The European Quality of Life Survey is a unique pan-European survey that examines the circumstances of European citizens’ lives in relation to both individual well-being and quality of society and public services. It includes topics such as health, housing, family and work-life balance, as well as trust, participation in society, social exclusion and societal tensions. The latest data from the 2016 round are available via the EQLS Interactive page. Previous findings (2012) Third European Quality of Life Survey cover Quality of life in enlargement countries.

• Presentation: European Quality of Life Survey 2016: New results for the EU candidate countries, Tadas Leončikas, Senior Research Manager, Eurofound

• Programme: Improving quality of life in Europe – Sharing data to shape better policies (PDF)

• Publication: European Quality of Life Survey 2016 - Overview report

• Interactive page: European Quality of Life Survey 2016

• Data visualisation: European Quality of Life Survey 2016

• Publication: European Quality of Life Survey 2012 - Quality of life in enlargement countries