A comprehensive analysis of today's situation of palliative care in Europe is provided, including previously unidentified statistics and standardized profiles of sixteen European countries. The analysis contains demographics, the history of hospice and palliative care, the number of current services, funding, education, and training of professional staff and the role of volunteers, with an in-depth case portrayal of particular services. Reimer Gronemeyer is professor of sociology at the Justus-Liebig-University in Giessen (Germany). Michaela Fink , a sociologist, is working with Gronemeyer in different research projects at the Institute of Sociology at the Justus-Liebig-University in Giessen. Marcel Globisch , a sociologist, was a member of the hospice research group until August 2005. Since September 2005 he has been working for the German Children's Hospice Society. Felix Schumann , a sociologist, is working with Gronemeyer in different research projects at the Institute of Sociology at the Justus-Liebig-University in Giessen.