Life expectancy at birth has risen rapidly during the past century due to a number of factors. These include a reduction in infant mortality, rising living standards, improved lifestyles and better education, as well as advances in healthcare and medicine. Official statistics reveal that life expectancy has risen, on average, by more than two years per decade since the 1960s. In 2020, however, after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, this indicator declined in 25 EU countries compared to 2019, the exceptions being Denmark and Cyprus. In 2023, life expectancy at birth was equal to or higher than in 2019 in 21 EU countries. By contrast life expectancy fell in 6 EU countries: Finland (-0.5 years), the Netherlands (-0.3 years), Germany (-0.2 years) to Italy, Latvia and Austria (all -0.1 years).