Bulgaria, Latvia and France are the most vaccine-sceptic countries in the European Union, a survey suggests.

Fewer than 70% of respondents in all three countries consider innoculations safe, according to the Brussels-commissioned poll.

Confidence in the drugs has declined in some parts of Europe as anti-vaccine groups gain traction in the political sphere, the report says.

Poland has seen a sharp drop: the proportion of those who think vaccines are safe for children has fallen 9.2% in the last three years.

“It is likely the European region still has the lowest confidence levels across the world,” said the report.

“The recent measles outbreaks should be used as an opportunity to remind people of the importance of vaccination and the dangers of vaccination-preventable diseases.”

In the summer, the World Health Organization said measles cases had hit record levels in Europe.

There were 37 deaths and more than 41,000 infections in the first half of this year, the highest for any 12-month period over the last decade.

The European Commission survey revealed respondents in Portugal, Denmark and Spain had the most confidence in vaccines.

The proportion of respondents who think vaccines are safe in each EU country: Portugal 95.1%; Denmark 94%; Spain 91.6%; Hungary 91.4%; United Kingdom 89.9%; Finland 89%; Netherlands 87.9%; Luxembourg 87.2%; Italy 85.3%; Ireland 84.9%; Greece 84.5%; Sweden 83.7%; Germany 83.6%; Austria 82.7%; Romania 82.2%; Estonia 81.1%; Lithuania 81%; Slovenia 81%; Cyprus 79.9%; Belgium 78.9%; Czech Republic 78.6%; Croatia 78.4%; Malta 74.9%; Slovakia 74.7%; Poland 72.4%; France 69.9%; Latvia 68.2%; Bulgaria 66.3%.