Social cohesion and well-being in the EU

In order to develop effective and focused strategies to uphold social cohesion and improve happiness and quality of life in Europe, it is above all necessary to understand how complex social developments interact with each other. In particular since – as this study amply demonstrates – the different circumstances in the individual EU Member States demand flexible measures that can be adapted to each specific situation. This policy brief examines how significant social cohesion is for the well-being of people in Europe.
It considers, in particular, how income inequalities are related to social cohesion and well-being. It is based upon existing reports and specifically upon the analyses in a report prepared for the Bertelsmann Stiftung. This paper is the result of a collaborative project between Eurofound and the Bertelsmann Stiftung.