European Quality of Life Survey 2007

Perceived quality of life is lower in the candidate countries of Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey than in the EU27, largely due to poverty. Women’s labour force participation is low and jobs in general are characterised by long hours and poor work–life balance. Families are important for subjective well-being, but the rates of approval for public services and trust in institutions vary.

This report explores the subject of work and family life across Europe, looking at ways to find a better balance between the demands of work and family responsibilities. Based on data from the second European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS), conducted by Eurofound in 2007, the report analyses tensions between work demands and household and care tasks, against a background of different institutional settings, labour market structures and cultural factors.

Many European countries have seen high levels of immigration from all parts of the world in the past two decades and the population of visible minority ethnic groups has grown rapidly. This report presents the results of a research programme analysing the quality of life in ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in EU15 countries based on the 2007 European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS). The findings confirm that material poverty is often combined with higher degrees of social exclusion in such neighbourhoods.

The present document reports on the quality of the 2nd EQLS. It assesses the quality of the survey processes in all its stages, starting from the sampling design to the final dissemination of data. It also assesses the quality of the survey output on the following five key quality components set out by the European Statistical System: relevance, accuracy, timeliness, accessibility and clarity, and coherency and comparability. On the basis of the assessment it makes recommendations for the forthcoming rounds of the survey.

This report is based on the second EQLS carried out in 2007-8 and offers a wideranging view of the diverse social realities in the 27 Member States, as well as covering Norway and the candidate countries of Turkey, Macedonia and Croatia. The report presents the views and experiences of people living in Europe across a set of key domains: employment and income, family and community life, health and housing. It looks at factors influencing wellbeing and happiness and reflects people’s views on the quality of the society in which they live.

Public services are the bedrock of modern society. They impact on people’s everyday lives to a greater or lesser degree: from education and health services to public transport, refuse collection and state pensions. This report explores the interaction between individuals and institutions, analysing to what extent the key social services are responsible for shaping the quality of people’s lives.

What are the factors that give rise to a feeling of satisfaction with one’s life and do these vary from country to country across Europe? This report explores the role of different aspects of an individual’s life – such as income, age, employment, marital status and health – in shaping the quality of their lives. Drawing on findings from the second European Quality of Life Survey, carried out by Eurofound in 2007, it gives a wide-ranging picture of the diverse social realities in Europe today.

Over the past two decades, the concept of social exclusion has increasingly replaced the concept of poverty within the EU policy discussion on social vulnerability and disadvantage. It has been shown that unequal access to the labour market and poor living conditions negatively affect social participation and social contact, which in turn impact on the quality of life of Europe’s citizens and lead to a sense of social exclusion. The second European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS), conducted by Eurofound in 2007, offers a wide-ranging view of the diverse social realities in Europe today.