Facts and views about quality of life in the EU - European Statistical System (ESS)
Traditionally official statistics describe economic and social developments by using indicators such as GDP. However, today it is widely accepted that GDP alone is not enough to show how well or badly people are doing. Quality of life is indeed a broader concept which includes a full range of factors which people value in life and their subjective assessments of these factors.
The new Eurostat flagship publication "Quality of life in Europe – facts and views1" presents these different aspects of personal well-being by combining for the first time objective indicators with subjective evaluations of individuals' situations in EU Member States. As Walter Radermacher, Director-General of Eurostat, states in the foreword of the publication: "The objective is to shed light on what could impact upon the quality of life, ranging from the educational level, the activity and health status to the family and financial situation".
For further information:
- Press release
- Facts and views about quality of life in the EU
- An interactive infographic on people's well-being in the EU is available on the Eurostat website. It covers the 8+1 dimensions of the quality of life framework.