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In recent years social reporting activities-efforts to monitor and systematically describe and analyse the current state of and changes in living conditions and the quality of lifehave been given new priority. The process of European integration has obviously stimulated the development of such monitoring and reporting activities not only at the supranational, but also at national and sub-national levels. The improvement of living conditions and the quality of life in the member states are among the main goals of the European Union, as stated for example in the Maastricht treaty. Accordingly, the availability of appropriate knowledge and systematic information on social conditions within and across European societies as provided by social monitoring and reporting will be of crucial importance to enhance European integration and cohesion and to create the” Social Europe” of the 21st century.

Establishing a science based …