Calls for more EU action



Asked whether the EU should do more or less across 15 major policy areas from economic policy through migration to gender equality, an absolute majority of respondents (more than 50%) consistently answered that they expect more EU action.



The fight against terrorism, the fight against unemployment and the protection of the environment are the three policy areas whereat least three-quarters of respondents call for more EU intervention in the future.



Perceptions of EU actions shifting



On key issues such as terrorism, migration and unemployment, more Europeans still consider the actions of the EU insufficient rather than adequate, but satisfaction is increasing:

Fight against terrorism - 32% of respondents consider EU has done enough, up from 23% in April 2016; 57% consider EU actions as insufficient, down from 69%

Migration - 26% consider EU has done enough, up from 19% in April 2016; 58% consider EU actions as insufficient, down from 66%

Unemployment - 29% consider EU has done enough, up from 23% in April 2016; 59% consider EU actions as insufficient, down from 69%

On other issues such as gender equality, energy supply, industrial policy and agriculture, there are more people who consider EU actions sufficient than those who think they are insufficient.



Results vary substantially among countries. On the fight against unemployment, 27% of the Czech respondents find the EU actions inadequate, but this opinion is shared by 92% of the Greeks.



EU countries should stick together on foreign policy issues



A clear majority of Europeans want the EU countries to act jointly on the international stage. About 7 out of 10 respondents think that EU countries working together is the right response to the increasing power and influence of Russia (71%) and of China (71%), the instability of the Arab-Muslim world (71%) and the presidency of Donald Trump in the USA (68%).



The findings announced on 18 September come from a Eurobarometer survey carried out in April 2018 for the European Parliament and follow a first report published in May.





