The highest concern for Maltese remains immigration, at 65 per cent, with terrorism coming at second (45 per cent), according to the annual Eurobarometer released by Eurostat, the EU statistics entity.
Mentioned by 45% of Europeans, immigration is seen as the most important concern in 26 Member States (up from 20 in spring 2016), reaching its highest scores in Estonia (70%), Hungary(65%) and Malta (65%).
Optimism for the future of the EU is most pronounced in Ireland (77%), Lithuania (70%), Malta (67%) and Romania (67%).
Two-thirds of Europeans feel that they are citizens of the EU (67%, +1 percentage point since spring 2016): this is the highest level ever reached on this indicator (equal with spring 2015).
Conversely, less than a third do not feel this way (32%, -1). At least half of respondents feel they are citizens of the EU in 27 Member States, and more than three-quarters of citizens hold this view in Luxembourg (92%), Malta (82%), Portugal (79%), Spain (79%), Finland (79%), Poland (78%), Ireland (78%) and Germany (77%).
Immigration and terrorism continue to be seen as the most important issues facing the EU, albeit at a slightly lower level than at the last survey in spring 2016. Support for the European Union's priorities and policies remains strong, and has increased since spring 2016. These are two key results of the latest Standard Eurobarometer survey published today, together with the Special Eurobarometer survey “Future of Europe”.
Asked about their main concerns, immigration remains on top of the issues facing the EU most frequently cited by citizens (45%,-3 percentage points since spring 2016). Terrorism (32%,-7) remains the second most frequently cited item. It is well ahead of the economic situation (20%,+1), the state of Member States' public finances (17%, +1) and unemployment (16%,+1). Immigration is number one concern for the EU in all Member States, except Spain and Portugal.
At national level, the main concerns are unemployment (31%,-2) and immigration (26%,-2). The economic situation is in third place (19%, unchanged).
Support for European Commission's political priorities:
Compared to the previous survey of spring 2016, support for the priority topics set by the European Commission has increased further.
Regarding the issue of migration, 69% of Europeans say they are in favour of a common European policy on migration and 61% are positive about migration of people from other EU Member States. However, 56% are negative about immigration of people from outside the EU.
81% of Europeans are in favour of the "free movement of EU citizens who can live, work, study and do business anywhere in the EU". Majorities of respondents support free movement in all countries.
Support for the euro is slightly increasing (58% in the EU overall, 70% in the euro area).
On investment within the EU, 56% of Europeans agree that public money should be used to stimulate private sector investment at EU level.