Eurobarometer: High Trust in EU and Euro

According to this survey, 51 percent of EU citizens trust the Union. This is the highest percentage since 2007. Austria falls exactly into the EU average. The Euro enjoys the highest popularity since its introduction. However, Austria and Croatia are at the bottom of the list in the Eurozone on this point.

Austrians Trust EU More Than Their Own Government

More Austrians trust the European Union than their own government (48 percent). However, the Austrian federal government is among the more popular ones in the EU comparison. Only in Luxembourg (76 percent), Denmark (58 percent), Poland (51 percent), and Belgium (50 percent) does a larger percentage of respondents express trust in their own government than in Austria.

Record Value for Euro in Eurobarometer

According to the survey conducted in October and November in the 27 member states, the common currency Euro also enjoys great approval. 74 percent of all Union citizens are in favour of the monetary union with a common currency, in the already existing Euro states - which are 20 of the 27 EU members - it is even 81 percent. This is the highest value since the introduction of the Euro cash in 2002. The Austrians are more sceptical in this respect: 73 percent approval and 24 percent opposition mark the second lowest value in the Eurozone. Only in Croatia, which only introduced the Euro last year, is the approval even lower. While there are almost two-thirds majorities for the common currency in Hungary and Romania, the citizens of the remaining non-Euro members are sceptical. In Bulgaria, there is a stalemate between the two camps. Poland, Sweden, Denmark, and the Czech Republic reject the Euro with sometimes clear majorities.

Eurobarometer: War in Ukraine Still Biggest EU Challenge

The biggest challenge for the European Union, according to Union citizens, continues to be Russia's war in Ukraine with 31 percent (down four percentage points), closely followed by migration with 28 percent (up four percentage points). In Austria, migration is seen as the most important issue (29 percent, Ukraine: 28 percent). The biggest domestic problem at both EU level and in Austria is seen as inflation. The EU measures to support Ukraine continue to have strong support. Thus, 71 percent of respondents support the sanctions against Russia (Austria 69 percent) and 58 percent are in favour of arms deliveries (Austria: 49 percent).

Two Thirds of Austrians in Eurobarometer for Common Defence Policy

79 percent of respondents are in favour of a common defence and security policy of the European Union. In neutral Austria, the support is only 66 percent, with NATO member Portugal and the neutral states of Ireland and Malta showing weaker values. Regarding the future substantive priorities of the European Union, clear national differences emerge. In five states (Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, France, Malta) climate is named as the top issue, in eight states (Slovakia, Lithuania, Finland, Poland, Denmark, Latvia, Estonia, Czech Republic, Luxembourg) security and defence, in seven states economy or work (Greece, Hungary, Croatia, Bulgaria, Italy, Spain, Romania). With Belgium and Cyprus, Austria forms the group of states where the respective citizens most often name migration as a priority. In Austria, this is 37 percent.

(APA/Red)

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