A vast majority of EU citizens agree that the provision of EU funding should be made conditional on respect for the rule of law and democratic principles, a survey commissioned by the European Parliament shows.

The survey for Eurobarometer was conducted between 17 and 25 August, interviewing 26,459 citizens in all 27 member states, including 1,033 in Croatia.

The survey was commissioned ahead of a State of the Union address by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at a plenary session of the European Parliament next week. Those interviewed were asked questions that will presumably feature in her speech.

A vast majority of respondents (81%) agree that the EU should provide funds to member states only if they observe the rule of law and democratic principles. The strongest support for this approach was recorded in Cyprus (92%), Portugal (91%), Greece (90%) and Croatia (87%), while the lowest support, although still quite strong, was observed in Poland (72%), the Netherlands (73%), Slovakia (74%) and the Czech Republic (75%).

60% of those polled believe that the EU’s economic recovery plan, Next Generation EU, will help their country overcome the economic and social damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. In this regard, the most optimistic are the Maltese (78%), Cypriots (76%) and the Portuguese (75%), while the least optimistic are Swedes (49%), the Dutch (50%), Germans (52%) and Slovaks (55%). In Croatia, 63% of respondents are optimistic in this regard.

Fewer than half of those interviewed (44%) said that their national governments cannot be trusted to use Next Generation EU funds properly, revealing great differences between central, eastern and southern members states and western ones.

Slovenians have the least trust in their government (25%), followed by Slovaks (25%), Hungarians (28%), Cypriots (30%), Croatians (31%), Romanians (33%) and Czechs (34%). On the other hand, Luxembourgers (74%), Danes (70%) and Finns (60%) trust their governments the most.

The Portuguese and Maltese (89%), Bulgarians (87%) and Croatians (86%) agree the most that regional and local authorities and civil society should be consulted on how Next Generation EU funds should be spent. On the other end of the scale are the Dutch (72%), Italians (73%) and the French (75%).

More than a third of those interviewed (35%) think that the Next Generation EU instrument will have a positive impact on their personal lives, while 36% believe this will not happen. Croatians are close to the EU average – 36% think that recovery funds will have a positive effect on their lives and as many think that they will not.

A majority of respondents believe that the EU should give priority to action against climate change (43%), measures to fight poverty and social exclusion (32%), measures to support the economy and create new jobs (31%), the fight against terrorism and organised crime (31%) and public health (27%).

Croatian respondents give priority to measures to fight poverty and social exclusion (52%), measures to support the economy and job creation (47%), action against climate change (39%), human rights in the EU and worldwide (26%), the fight against terrorism and organised crime (24%), public health (24%), and democracy and rule of law (20%).

Nearly half of those polled (48%) think that things in their country are going in the wrong direction. The largest number of respondents who think that things are going in the right direction was recorded in Portugal and Ireland and the smallest number in Belgium and Sweden. In Croatia, 16% of those polled believe that things are going in the right direction and 53% in the wrong direction.

A majority of Europeans (65%) believe that the EU has a key role in ensuring access to COVID-19 vaccines. Germany (58%), Croatia and France (both 51%) are the only three countries where a majority of respondents said that their country could have organised the vaccine supply better without the involvement of the EU.

Most respondents (59%) think that public authorities are not sufficiently transparent about COVID-19 vaccines. 73% of Croatians think so, followed by Cypriots, Romanians and Slovenians (all 68%).

In all member states a majority of those interviewed believe that benefits of COVID-19 vaccines outweigh potential risks. The Portuguese (86%), Maltese (85%) and Finns (83%) have the greatest trust in COVID-19 vaccines, while Bulgarians (51%), Slovenians (53%) and Slovaks (56%) have the least. In Croatia, 61% of respondents answered this question affirmatively.

In 24 member states a majority of those interviewed said that vaccination against COVID-19 is a civic duty. On the other hand, 39% of respondents in Bulgaria, 40% in Slovenia and 44% in Slovakia agree with this. in Croatia, 52% of respondents answered this question affirmatively.