The first results of the latest Eurobarometer survey reveal that for Europeans unemployment is the most important issue facing their own country, while concerns about the economic situation have lessened slightly.
The first results of the latest Eurobarometer survey reveal that for Europeans unemployment is the most important issue facing their own country, while concerns about the economic situation have lessened slightly. However, a majority still believes the worst of the crisis is to come. Now that the G20 and the IMF have given the impetus for economic recovery, people believe that national governments and the European Union are best placed to take action against the effects of the crisis.
"Citizens have clearly identified jobs as their main concern, and the EU must continue to give its full attention and commitment to dealing with the crisis", said Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the European Commission, responsible for Institutional Relations and Communication Strategy.
A majority of Europeans (54%, -7 points compared to May-June 2009) believe that the worst is still to come regarding the impact of the crisis on jobs, 38% think that it has already reached its peak. This figure is ten points up from the previous survey.
The same more positive trend, compared to Spring 2009, can be observed regarding expectations for the economic situation in the EU in the next twelve months: 30% (+6) of Europeans think that the next twelve months will be better, 38% the same (-) and 21% (-7) worse. 11% (+1) do not know.
Similar more positive expectations were recorded for the future of the world economy: 29% (+5) think it will be better in the next twelve months, 36% (-) the same and 24% (-6) worse. 11% (+1) do not know.
Regarding expectations for the national economy, the positive trend is more moderate. A bigger share of Europeans believe that the overall situation of their national economy will be the same (37%, +1) or worse (31%, -3), rather than better (28%, +3). 4% (-1) do not know.
A majority (51%, +2) consider unemployment as the most important issue in their country at the moment. The economic situation (40%, -2) comes second while inflation, (19%, -2) is the third most important issue together with crime (19%, +3). At the personal level, inflation (38%, unchanged), the economic situation (26%, unchanged) and unemployment (20%, -1) remain the three most important issues.
Both the European Union (22%, +2) and the national governments (19%, +7) are seen as being best able to deal with the crisis. They are followed closely by the G20 (18%, -2) which has lost its second position to the national governments since the spring.
Europeans see the stimulation of research and innovation in European industry (31%), the support of environmentally-friendly production of goods and services (30%), the support to agriculture (27%) and the encouragement of enterprise creation (25%) as the main ways to boost growth in a sustainable way.
Trend indicators on confidence in the European institutions are stable. Overall, 50% (+2) of EU citizens tend to trust the European Parliament while 33% (-3) do not. 46% (+2) tend to trust the European Commission and 32% (-2) do not.
A majority of Europeans (53%, unchanged) continue to perceive their country's membership to the EU as a good thing, while 57% (+1) believe it has benefited from being a member of the EU.
Since autumn 2007, the appreciation of the way democracy works appears to have been reversed. 53% (-5) are satisfied with the way democracy works in their country while the figure for the European Union is 54% (+2). Two years ago, the way democracy worked at national level (58%) was judged more satisfactory than at EU level (52%).
This 'Standard Eurobarometer' survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews by TNS Opinion & Social. A total of 30,238 people were interviewed between 23 October and 18 November 2009. Standard Eurobarometer surveys take place twice a year in Spring and in Autumn.