The%20European%20Social%20Model%20and%20Quality%20of%20Life

1
The European Social Model and Quality of Life

• Robert Anderson
• Head of Living Conditions and Quality of Life
  Unit, Eurofound
• Visit of European Parliament Delegation
• Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
• Dublin, 17 May 2011

2
Elements of the European Social Model

• characterised in particular by systems that
  offer a high level of social protection, by the
  importance of social dialogue and by services of
  general interest vital for social cohesion.
  based on a common core of values (Presidency
  Conclusions of the Nice European Council, 2000)
• Common values pluralism, non-discrimination,
  tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality
  between women and men (Official Journal of the
  European Union, 2004)
• Taken from Alber 2006

3
European Quality of Life Survey

• Key characteristics
• Considers quality of life in terms of the overall
  level of well-being of individuals
• Assessed in terms of outcomes and experiences
  (objective), but also views about and preferences
  for their lives (subjective)
• Core focus on domains of employment, economic
  resources, family, housing, community and health
  and specifically on the inter-relationships
  between domains (e.g. work and family, health and
  economic situation)
• Addresses the quality of society in terms of
  quality of services and local environment, trust
  and solidarity.

4
Quality of society concept

• Quality of Life reflects the scope individuals
  have to actively and consciously direct their own
  lives
• The nature of an individuals relationship with
  others in their household, their community and
  beyond, as well with institutions and policies,
  are fundamental influences on quality of life
• The resources and opportunities open to people
  include collective as well as individual
  resources notably social provision in areas such
  as education, health care, housing and social
  services
• Eurofound (2003) Monitoring Quality of Life in
  Europe.

5
Survey methodology

• Representative household survey of people 18
• Interviews Sept-Dec 2003 Sept-Dec 2007 Sept
  2009/10 (EB)
• Covers all 27 EU Member States, plus Candidate
  Countries (Turkey, FYROM, Croatia) and Norway
• Sample size Usually 1000 per country, Large
  country variations in response rates (30-70)
• Next survey in September 2011

6
Average European evaluation of public servicesby
type of service
7
Source EQLS 2007
8
Relationship between public expenditure and
quality of public services, by country
9
Life satisfaction, by perceived quality of public
services, country and country group
10
Life satisfaction, by trust in institutions,
country and country group
11
Satisfaction with life in general EU 27,
2003-2010
12
Change in trust in national government, 2007 to
2010
13
Social capital trust in people, 2003 to 2010
14
Policy pointers

• May be one European Social model, but large
  differences between countries in perception of
  the quality of society varying somewhat across
  different dimensions.
• Quality of society measured in terms of both
  perceived quality of public services and trust in
  institutions is significantly associated with
  life satisfaction.
• Social inequalities particularly income
  differences are consistently related to
  assessments of both the quality of society and
  well-being
• Implication for distribution of resources, but
  also for organisation of services and public
  policies to help disadvantaged groups.

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In Conclusion

• Need indicators of individual quality of life,
  but also of societal well-being and social
  cohesion
• Indicators must be sensitive to change and larger
  sample sizes for more accurate measurement.
• Importance of comprehensive multidimensional
  measures, but
• Breadth is not usually compatible with depth and
  monitoring is not the same as same as measuring
  impact of policy
• Documentation of trends and change globally,
  but
• Must consider impacts on different socio-economic
  groups especially groups at risk of exclusion and
  look at change beyond the individual in level
  in the family/household, community and society