Only 32 per cent of the Maltese believe that people of difference ethnic origin enrich the national culture, the lowest percentage among the EU’s member states.
According to a Eurobarometer study entitled “Discrimination in the EU”, the majority of citizens in all but four member states said that people of different ethnic origin enrich the national culture.
The majority of Swedish (86 per cent) and Finnish (81 per cent) citizens said people of different ethnic origin enrich the national culture but this feeling was not evident in Malta (32 per cent) or Cyprus (39 per cent).
This year has been designated as the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All and the EU aims to inform people of their rights, to celebrate diversity and to promote equal opportunities for everyone in the European Union.
The study shows that public opinion in the former EU15 and the new member states is strongly divided when it comes to an increase in the number of MPs of a different ethnic origin in their respective parliaments.
Almost half of the EU citizens from the EU15 states (48 per cent) were in favour compared to only 27 per cent in the new member states.
Malta had one of the lowest percentages, with only 19 per cent of respondents saying they were open to having MPs of different ethnic minorities, followed closely by Cyprus (17 per cent). However, Denmark (64 per cent), Sweden and France (66 per cent) were more in favour of the concept.
A large segment of the EU population believes that women, disabled people and older people are under-represented in the workplace.
At least 72 per cent of Europeans say that more female MPs are needed and 44 per cent are in favour of having more MPs from different ethnic backgrounds.
The majority, 86 per cent, of the Maltese believe that more female MPs are needed – the third highest percentage among the EU member States.
The French, who top the list (90 per cent), feel that more female MPs are needed, followed by the Irish at 86 per cent.
However, Malta ranked first in the EU with 79 per cent saying that wearing religious symbols in the workplace is acceptable. The response from other countries varies, with just 36 per cent of French citizens and 29 per cent of Lithuanians saying religious symbols were acceptable.
Discrimination is widespread according to a large proportion of Europeans, the study also reveals.
Thirty-four per cent of Maltese respondents said that there is widespread discrimination against people who have a disability.
The study reveals a clear sense of consensus in all the member states that more money should be spent on improving accessibility – 94 per cent of the Maltese respondents said they are in favour.
The study found that over half of the European Union’s citizens said they have disabled friends or friends who are of a different ethnic origin (both 55 per cent).
However, it seems less common for people to have homosexual friends (35 per cent). At least 55 per cent of the Maltese believe that there is widespread discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
In the Southern European countries, and particularly in Cyprus (86 per cent), Greece (85 per cent) and Portugal (83 per cent), the majority of the population feels that homosexuality in their country is still a taboo.
Malta ranked seventh, with 58 per cent saying that homosexuality is still a taboo. Furthermore, 65 per cent stated that it is difficult for a homosexual to state his/her sexual orientation at the workplace.
The study was carried out on behalf of the European Commission DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities in the 25 member States of the European Union and in the two acceding countries between 7 June and 12 July 2006.