Citizens’ awareness and perceptions of EU regional policy
Cohesion policy invests in all EU regions to reduce inequalities
both between Member States and between regions within them. At
€351.8 billion, it accounts for approximately a third of the EU budget for the
2014-2020 period and co-finances projects in
transport and communication infrastructures, support for small and medium-sized
enterprises and the modernisation of educational and
health systems. The policy is also a major instrument for EU’s "Europe 2020" goals, which aim
to create growth and jobs through innovation, deal with the problems of climate
change and energy dependence and reduce poverty and social exclusion.
How much do citizens
know about this and what is their perception? As part of a series that examines Europeans’ awareness
of and attitudes towards the EU, the European Commission's Regional Policy and
Urban Development Directorate General (REGIO) is regularly conducting topical
Eurobarometers since 2010. In 2019, between
3 and 12 June, 27 144 EU respondents from different social and demographic
groups were interviewed via telephone (mobile and fixed line) in their mother
tongue.
These are the main results:
Four in ten
respondents have heard about EU co-financed projects in their local area
EU-wide awareness has risen by five percentage points since the last survey in 2017, following a general trend of rising awareness since the first survey in 2010.
Select a country in the filter:
Over eight in ten
respondents say that the impact of EU co-financed projects on the development
of their city or region has been positive
Respondents who said they have heard of EU co-financed projects were then asked whether this support has had a positive or a negative impact on the development of their city or region.
Overall, the
proportion of respondents who say the impact of these projects has been
positive has risen slightly since 2010.
Select a country in the filter:
Over nine in ten
respondents want investments in education, health or social infrastructure
More than nine in ten respondents (91%) consider education, health or social infrastructures one of the more important domains for
investment for their city or region, followed by the environment (90%) and renewable
and clean energy (87%). At
least eight in ten respondents also mention support for small and medium-sized businesses (81%) and research and innovation (80%)
are more important.
Smaller majorities mention
the other investment domains. At least three quarters of respondents say
investment in vocational
training (78%) and transport facilities (75%) are the more important, while over six
in ten identify energy networks (63%) and just under six in ten say tourism and culture (57%).
Finally, just over half
the respondents say that broadband
Internet access (51%) is one
of the more important domains for investment for their city or region, while
just under half say the same about investment in the reception and integration of migrants and refugees(48%).
Select a priority in the filter:
Watch
this video to find out more about the results!
More information
