Europeans expect more action from the EU in a number of areas, primarily regarding terrorism, unemployment and environmental protection, while in Croatia more and more people believe that the EU action with regard to the protection of the external border and the fight against terrorism is sufficient, shows a Eurobarometer survey published Tuesday.
Asked if the EC should act more or less in 15 different political areas, from economic policy to migrations and gender equality, most respondents said that they wanted more action at EU level.
The fight against terrorism and unemployment and environmental protection are the three areas for which three in four respondents agree that they require intervention at EU level, shows the Eurobarometer survey, a European Parliament poll covering all EU member countries.
As for other areas, such as gender equality, energy, industrial policy and agriculture, the number of Europeans who believe that EU action in those areas is sufficient is higher than the number of those who do not think so.
As for the main areas of security, migrations and labour market, most Europeans believe that joint action at EU level is insufficient. Nonetheless, their satisfaction in that regard is growing.
Thirty-two percent (32%) of the respondents believe the EU has done enough in the fight against terrorism while in April 2016, 23% of the respondents believed so. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of the respondents believe that anti-terrorist action is insufficient while in 2016 69% believed so.
With regard to migration, 26% of the respondents believe the EU has done enough, while in 2016, 19% believed so. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of the respondents believe that joint action in that regard is insufficient as against 66% in 2016.
Most Europeans want EU member countries to act together on the international scene.
Around 70% believe a joint policy is the right answer to the growing influence of Russia and China, instability of Muslim countries and Donald Trump’s presidency in the US.
In Croatia, a growing number of respondents agree that joint action at EU level is sufficient, notably with regard to the protection of external borders and fight against terrorism.
The number of Croatians who are satisfied with the EU’s action to protect its external borders has grown from 37% in 2016 to 53%.
The number of Croatians who believe that the EU is doing enough in the fight against terrorism has grown from 27% to 42%.
On the other hand, Croatians expect more action in the fight against unemployment and tax fraud, as well as health and social security; 62% believe that the EU’s action on unemployment is insufficient.
As for views on migrations, around 43% of Croatian respondents believe the EU has done enough in that regard and as many believe it has not.
The latest Eurobarometer survey, which continues on a survey published in May this year, covered 27,601 respondents from the 28 EU countries.
