More than half (51%) of European citizens trust the European Union, the highest level of trust recorded since 2007, new data from Eurobarometer has found.
Sentiment is strongest among young people aged 15-24, of which 59% say that they trust the EU.
Trust in the European Commission, meanwhile, has climbed to 51%, again its highest level for 17 years.
‘Feel like citizens’
Some three quarters (74%) of respondents say that they ‘feel like citizens’ of the EU—a level not seen in over two decades, while two fifths (61%) are optimistic about the EU’s future.
Notably, trust in the EU remains strong in potential enlargement countries such as Albania (81%), Montenegro (75%), and Kosovo (70%).
Trust in the European Union has also increased in United Kingdom, where 38% (+6 points) now share this view.
Stronger, more independent
Elsewhere, Eurobarometer’s study found that more than two thirds (69%) believe the EU has the necessary power to defend its economic interests globally and view it as a stabilising force in an uncertain world.
Security and defence were identified as the main priority area for the EU action in the medium term, cited by 33% of respondents, followed by migration (29%), the economy (28%), climate and the environment (28%), and health (27%).
When it comes to areas where the European Union should focus its efforts in the environmental sector, a significant portion of Europeans prioritise renewable energy.
According to the findings, 38% of respondents believe the EU should prioritise renewable energy, while 31% of Europeans think investments in sustainable agriculture should be a key focus.
Elsewhere, support for the euro has reached historic highs, with 74% approval across the EU and 81% in eurozone countries.
Conducted between October 10 and November 5, 2024, the Eurobarometer survey gathered responses from 26,525 EU citizens across the 27 Member States, as well as from nine additional countries, including the UK. Read more here.
