Living in the European Union today
In order to better understand the social reality of European Union (EU) citizens, the European Commission launched in 2006 a special survey (measuring people’s perceptions of reality) that took the picture of different dimensions of social life in the EU.
Overall, taking all things together, most EU citizens are happy (87%). However, the picture is different between countries. People in the older 15 EU countries tend to feel happier than those living in the new Member States (MS) (28% vs. 17% are very happy). In particular in 3 countries people say they are very happy: Denmark (49%), Ireland (46%) and the Netherlands (43%). On the other side we find Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia. Needless to say, "happiness here is mostly linked to the economic situation and the prospects for the future…
Europeans value mostly factors like local job opportunities, the pensions' situation and safety. Germany, Hungary, Poland and France are the countries where confidence in the future of pensions is particularly low (in Germany only 25% express confidence). As regards safety, the perception differs strongly from country to country. 88% of people in the Netherlands feel safe, while in Denmark 85%, Sweden (83%), France (79%), Luxembourg and Belgium (76%), compared to only 45% of Lithuanians, 46% of Bulgarians and 59% of Greeks.
Levels of satisfaction with the quality of life and the standard of living are also not the same throughout Europe. The highest levels are found in the Northern European countries - the Benelux, Scandinavia (the 'usual suspects'), the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland. It is least widespread in Bulgaria (less than 50%). Iin Portugal and France the level of satisfaction with the standard of living is the lowest among the former EU countries. But whereas Frances scores bellow average as regards standard of living, it goes above average for quality of life.
On average European citizens tend to be relatively satisfied with their living environment. People in the Netherlands, Denmark, Luxembourg, Belgium and Ireland best rate their living environment, while people in Bulgaria are by far the least satisfied. Portugal is the only old EU member with low levels as eastern European countries. The pattern at country level is relatively similar with health, family and friends and acquaintances named as the three most important aspects of life in most countries.
When it comes to the other aspects of life, larger country variations are noted. Work is considered important by considerably fewer people than average in the UK (66%) and Ireland (69%) whereas in France, Slovenia, Luxembourg and Italy around 9 out of 10 respondents find it important. The importance of religion varies a lot: it is most widely seen as being important in Malta (88%), Poland (87%), Cyprus (86%), Greece (82%)and Italy (78%) . This contrasts starkly with views in the Czech Republic (28%), Denmark and Sweden (both 30%) and Spain (34%).
As regards equal opportunities, it seems that household tasks are still primarily carried out by women in nearly all countries, however those countries where 'machismo' is stronger are Greece, the Czech Republic, Malta and Spain. And In Sweden, Denmark and Finland, men and women share most the household chores.
Overall, the level of job satisfaction is relatively high in Europe. However, the average job satisfaction level varies significantly. Workers in Northern Europe (the usual suspects) tend to be most satisfied with their job, whereas people in the new countries, particularly people in Romania and Bulgaria, are least satisfied with their job. Malta is somewhat of an exception, being similar to other Western European countries. However it should be noted that job satisfaction levels in the southern countries (Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece) are similar to those found in Eastern Europe.
In order to better understand the social reality of European Union (EU) citizens, the European Commission launched in 2006 a special survey (measuring people’s perceptions of reality) that took the picture of different dimensions of social life in the EU.
Overall, taking all things together, most EU citizens are happy (87%). However, the picture is different between countries. People in the older 15 EU countries tend to feel happier than those living in the new Member States (MS) (28% vs. 17% are very happy). In particular in 3 countries people say they are very happy: Denmark (49%), Ireland (46%) and the Netherlands (43%). On the other side we find Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia. Needless to say, "happiness here is mostly linked to the economic situation and the prospects for the future…
Europeans value mostly factors like local job opportunities, the pensions' situation and safety. Germany, Hungary, Poland and France are the countries where confidence in the future of pensions is particularly low (in Germany only 25% express confidence). As regards safety, the perception differs strongly from country to country. 88% of people in the Netherlands feel safe, while in Denmark 85%, Sweden (83%), France (79%), Luxembourg and Belgium (76%), compared to only 45% of Lithuanians, 46% of Bulgarians and 59% of Greeks.
Levels of satisfaction with the quality of life and the standard of living are also not the same throughout Europe. The highest levels are found in the Northern European countries - the Benelux, Scandinavia (the 'usual suspects'), the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland. It is least widespread in Bulgaria (less than 50%). Iin Portugal and France the level of satisfaction with the standard of living is the lowest among the former EU countries. But whereas Frances scores bellow average as regards standard of living, it goes above average for quality of life.
On average European citizens tend to be relatively satisfied with their living environment. People in the Netherlands, Denmark, Luxembourg, Belgium and Ireland best rate their living environment, while people in Bulgaria are by far the least satisfied. Portugal is the only old EU member with low levels as eastern European countries. The pattern at country level is relatively similar with health, family and friends and acquaintances named as the three most important aspects of life in most countries.
When it comes to the other aspects of life, larger country variations are noted. Work is considered important by considerably fewer people than average in the UK (66%) and Ireland (69%) whereas in France, Slovenia, Luxembourg and Italy around 9 out of 10 respondents find it important. The importance of religion varies a lot: it is most widely seen as being important in Malta (88%), Poland (87%), Cyprus (86%), Greece (82%)and Italy (78%) . This contrasts starkly with views in the Czech Republic (28%), Denmark and Sweden (both 30%) and Spain (34%).
As regards equal opportunities, it seems that household tasks are still primarily carried out by women in nearly all countries, however those countries where 'machismo' is stronger are Greece, the Czech Republic, Malta and Spain. And In Sweden, Denmark and Finland, men and women share most the household chores.
Overall, the level of job satisfaction is relatively high in Europe. However, the average job satisfaction level varies significantly. Workers in Northern Europe (the usual suspects) tend to be most satisfied with their job, whereas people in the new countries, particularly people in Romania and Bulgaria, are least satisfied with their job. Malta is somewhat of an exception, being similar to other Western European countries. However it should be noted that job satisfaction levels in the southern countries (Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece) are similar to those found in Eastern Europe.
Europeans value their leisure time. They tend to find it even more important than work. Equally, around 80% consider helping others or voluntary work an important aspect of their life. Most Europeans however do not seem to actively participate or do voluntary work. There are large differences between the countries with Austria (60%), the Netherlands (55%) and Sweden (53%) presenting the largest participation while the levels are lowest in Lithuania (11%) and Portugal (12%) – nothing new here…
While Europeans generally assess their overall personal situation as positive, they express concern about certain national issues. Unemployment is the most frequent concern (mentioned by 36%). The cost of living is also a concern as well as pension. At the country level, concerns about unemployment are particularly widespread in Greece (58%), Poland (53%) and Portugal (52%). Conversely, in Denmark (3%) and the Netherlands (5%) very few citizens feel concerned. Concerns about the cost of living are highest in Cyprus (60%), followed by Hungary (59%), Portugal and Romania (both 56%) while in Denmark (2%) and Sweden (8%) the cost of living is not a problem for most citizens.
While in general there is the feeling that the economic and employment situation will stay the same in the near future, there is particularly widespread optimism in Estonia, the Netherlands, Sweden and Lithuania. On the other side, in Hungary, Greece, Portugal, Luxembourg, Belgium and Cyprus views about collective life are pessimistic. Being concerned about the collective future notably means that European citizens worry about life for the next generation. On average, less than one person in five believes that the life of the next generation will be better while around two-thirds believe life will be more difficult for the next generation. In particularly baby-boomers, the generation born just after World-War II and until 1964, are most concerned about the future of today’s children: 70% of this generation believe that today’s children will have a more difficult life than they themselves did. Views about life for future generations differ significantly within the EU. In Portugal, for instance, where after difficult economic times people now seem to express faith in the future, citizens feel that life for future generations will be easier (57%). Conversely, only 3% of Germans believe that, but then Germans seem to be generally quite worried about their future.
And you, are you happy with your life? Confident in the future?
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Read the whole report here.
Read the whole report here.
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