Excess Mortality and Live Births across 40 European Countries during COVID-19 (2020–2022): A P-Score and Panel Analysis

Dataset 1 – Mortality (mortality_real.xlsx) This dataset contains monthly data on all-cause mortality for 40 European countries during the period 2020–2022, harmonized to allow cross-national comparison of excess mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic.Each observation represents a country–month combination. The key variable is the P-score, defined as the percentage deviation of observed deaths from the average deaths in the baseline period (2015–2019).The dataset was compiled primarily from Eurostat’s weekly mortality database (demo_r_mweek3) and, when necessary, supplemented by the Human Mortality Database (STMF).Variables include: country: ISO-3 code of the country year and month: time identifiers p_score: monthly excess mortality (%) deaths_obs: observed number of deaths deaths_exp: expected (baseline) deathsThis file enables analysis of temporal and cross-country patterns of excess mortality across Europe. Dataset 2 – Live births (newborn_real.xlsx) This dataset contains monthly data on live births for the same 40 European countries, covering the period 2018–2022 to capture both pre-pandemic and pandemic fertility trends.Each observation represents a country–month combination.The data were obtained from Eurostat’s monthly births database (demo_f_01) and complemented with data from national statistical offices where necessary.Variables include: country: ISO-3 code of the country year and month: time identifiers live_births: number of live births per month index_2019: relative index (2019 = 100), used for standardized comparison across time and countriesThis file allows exploration of fertility dynamics before, during, and after the main phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.