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“A Continent in transition”: is the definition of Europe marked by improving living standards and by growing disparities according to Eurofund,. The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions was set up in 1975 in Dublin to contribute to the planning and design of better living and working conditions in Europe. Along with other institutions, agencies and Union bodies (that include Eurostat and Eurobarometer), Eurofund helps convey a snapshot of the Old Continent’s societies. (Previous fact sheet: SIR Europe 9/2009)Essential goods and quality of housing: many disparities. A recent survey (Living and Working in Europe, Eurofund – www.eurofound.europa.eu) revealed that “purchasing power in the New Member States and in candidate Countries is far lower (55%) than European average”. Furthermore, the percentage of the population forced to renounce basic goods (heating, new clothes and holidays) “is much higher than the rest of the Union”. The gap is evident when it comes to quality of housing. “New Member States’ citizens” (the 12 Countries that adhered since 2004), are “more likely to own their own homes than their counterparts in EU15 (only 40%). However, the condition of these houses tend to be worse. More or less happy, more or less optimistic. As relates to public health, the survey brought up “a lack of health services especially in South-European countries (except for Spain) and in rural areas. In New Member States “almost 50% of the poor can’t afford to pay a doctor’s visit while in Western Europe figures amount to 31%.” These problems are expected to worsen with population ageing. “In New Member States and in Italy, Portugal and Greece, people are less happy with their lives as compared to North-European countries, who appear to be happier”. However, differently from French, Italian, Portuguese, Hungarian and Bulgarian citizens, most New Member States citizens rate their happiness at a high level. On the whole, optimism follows a downward trend, also because of the economic recession. Per capita income: the East lags behind. One of the basic criteria to establish the quality of living is linked to individual and family income. Each country’s per capita GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is rather homogeneous. For instance, per capita GDP amounts to 28100 euro in Germany, while it slightly decreases 27600 in France and raises to 29100 in the United Kingdom. Among the larger States, Italy registers a per capita GDP of 25200 euro, Spain reaches 26500, while Polond is stuck at 13300. Figures vary in other countries: 18600 in Portugal, 15200 in Lithuania, 9500 in Bulgaria, 23200 in Cyprus. If we relate individual income to the cost of living (which gives the true cost of living in each State), Luxembourg, Ireland and The Netherlands rank among the “richest” – although data refers to the year 2006 – followed by Austria, Denmark, Belgium, United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland and Germany. Bulgaria ranks last with Romania, Latvia, Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Estonia and Hungary. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, East-European Countries still have to go a long way to recover the disadvantage due to many years of Communist rule. The knot of unemployment. Macro-economic data contributes to provide a snapshot of the EU. In this framework, various charts would have to be duly considered. However, the figures relating to unemployment are sufficient to show, as the Eurofund report stated, that the EU is “in transition”. Until a few years ago, unemployment wasn’t a problem in Centre and North European countries, starting from Germany, the United Kingdom and in those States traditionally marked by “full employment” as The Netherlands and Austria. A different situation traditionally characterized the Mediterranean region, while high unemployment marked East-European countries at the dawn of their return to democracy. According to the “Mid-term forecasts for the year 2009-2010”, unemployment represents 7% in EU27, while this year it is expected to surge to 8.7%. Low figures are reported in Holland (4.1%), Denmark (4.5), Luxembourg (4.9), Cyprus and Austria (5.1) while there is reason for concern in Spain with 16.1%, Slovakia (10.6) and Latvia (10.4). (2 – continues)