The Eurobarometer is a program commissioned by the European Commission to monitor public opinion in the European Union member countries. Topics vary with each series, and have included agriculture, energy, environment, gender roles, immigration, knowledge of foreign languages, poverty, public health, technology, and other special topics.

Eurobarometer 56.1 covered topics including: working conditions; unemployment; employment; retirement; social conditions and indicators; social stratification and groupings; social exclusion; social welfare systems and structures; and economic conditions and indicators.