We are pleased to present you with a new issue of FUNCAS’ Focus on Spanish Society_June2015.

In the section Spain in Europe we show that compared with other European economies, Spain does not stand out for its high labor costs (though non-wage costs are relatively higher than wage costs). However, international differences in labor costs may reflect differences in productivity across countries. In fact, countries with lower labor costs do not necessarily have a competitive advantage vis-à-vis countries with higher costs. An appropriate evaluation of labor costs should therefore take into consideration the issue of productivity. Furthermore, we present recently published statistics according to which between 2013 and 2014 there was an increase in the percentage of people in Spain, Belgium and Greece living in households that cannot afford some services or expenses defined as indicative of material adequacy. Nevertheless, in Spain and Belgium this situation affects about one out of thirteen/fourteen people, while in Greece, one out of every four persons suffers this kind of hardship.

The section Public Opinion Trends includes data showing that public perceptions of the improving economic situation are gaining momentum since the beginning of 2015. Nonetheless, people saying that the economic situation is worse than a year ago still outnumber those stating that it is better. But when the interviewees are asked about the future, optimism beats pessimism since January 2015. Additionally, recent opinion data show that the public image of the monarchy has noticeably improved one year after the proclamation of King Felipe VI, whose performance is positively valued by nearly six out of ten Spaniards.

Finally, in the section Follow-up Social Data you can find updated statistics on Spanish demography, families, education and social protection.

We hope you find this publication a valuable tool to support your analysis and we look forward to receiving your feedback.