Brussels, 24/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - According to the most recent Eurobarometer survey published on Tuesday 23 July, there is increased optimism about tackling the crisis. In more than half of all member states - 19 out of 28 countries - those saying they are optimistic about the EU's future outnumber those who say they are pessimistic. Europeans are also less pessimistic about the impact of the crisis on jobs. Only 55% now consider that the “worst is yet to come”, 7% less than in autumn 2012.
An absolute majority (51%) of Europeans are in favour of the euro, with a two-thirds majority (62%) of those living within the euro area supporting the single currency. This support is at or near its strongest (between 68% and 77%) in four out of the last five countries to join the Euro area (Estonia, Malta, Slovenia and Slovakia). Almost seven in ten Europeans (67%), with a majority in all member states, say that the EU's voice counts in the world.
In total, 32,694 people living in the EU's member states or candidate countries were questioned in the survey. During the individual interviews carried out between 10-26 May 2013, questions focused on Europeans' perception of the current economic situation, their main concerns, degree of confidence in the political institutions and also their opinion about the crisis and the EUROPE 2020 strategy.
They were also asked questions about a number of points relating to European citizenship. Six out of ten citizens in the EU feel “European” and want to know more about their rights. Europeans see their rights as EU citizens as the most positive result from the EU - almost six in ten people identify the free movement of people, goods and services as “the EU's most positive result”.
These results should not hide the fact that fewer than half (46%) of European citizens know what their rights are and 67% say that their voice does not count in the EU. The Eurobarometer survey was carried out in 2013, the “European Year of Citizens”. This initiative aims to provide information to the EU's 500 million inhabitants about their rights in the Union. (LM/transl.fl)