Public Opinion in the European Union : summer 2022.
Date: 2022-09-06
Institutions: Directorate-General for Communication
Subjects: EU policy, economic policy, energy supply, inflation, price of energy, public opinion

Standard Eurobarometer 97 - Summer 2022 

Public opinion 
in the European Union 

Image of and level of trust in the EU
Optimism about the future of the EU
Almost half of all Europeans have a positive image of the European Union and trust it, 
while close to two thirds are optimistic about the future of the European Union

47%
Total ‘Positive’
(+3 pp)

36%
Neutral
(-2 pp)

49%
Tend to trust
(+2 pp)

1%
Don’t know
(=)

16%
Total ‘Negative’
(-1 pp)

8%
Don’t know
(-1 pp)

43%
Tend to not trust
(-1 pp)

65%
Total ‘Optimistic’
(+3 pp) 

3%
Don’t know
(=)

32%
Total ‘Pessimistic’ 
(-3 pp)

Key policy areas
Europeans support most strongly the free movement of EU citizens, 
having a common defence and security policy, as well as a common energy policy

84%
The free movement 
of EU citizens who 
can live, work, study 
and do business 
anywhere in the EU

77%
A common 
defence and 
security policy 
among EU 
Member States

75%
A common 
energy policy 
among EU 
Member States

74%
The EU’s 
common trade 
policy

70%
A common EU 
policy on 
migration

70%
A common 
foreign policy of 
the Member 
States of the EU

70%
A common EU 
health policy 

68%
A digital single 
market within 
the EU

57%
Further 
enlargement of 
the EU to include 
other countries in 
future years 

Support for the Euro 

A large majority support the 
European economic and monetary 
union with one single currency, 
the euro

72%
‘For’
(+3 pp)

4%
Don’t know
(-1 pp)

2%
Refusal
(=)

22%
‘Against’
(-2 pp)

The national and EU response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine
The general degree of satisfaction with the response of the EU and the response 
of the national government to the Russian invasion of Ukraine

National

55%
Total ‘Satisﬁed’

5%
Don’t know

40%
Total ‘Not satisﬁed’

EU

57%
Total ‘Satisﬁed’

6%
Don’t know

37%
Total ‘Not satisﬁed’

Standard Eurobarometer 97 - Summer 2022 
Public opinion in the European Union 

The state of the economy

Increasing numbers of Europeans 
believe that the situation of 
their national economy (64%), 
and that of the European 
economy (51%), is bad.

The current situation of the economy 

Total ‘Good’
Total ‘Bad’
Don’t know

64%
(+5 pp)

34%
(-5 pp)

2%
(=)

51%
(+7 pp)

40%
(-5 pp)

9%
(-2 pp)

National

EU

There are very large increases in 
the proportion of Europeans who 
expect that the situation of their 
country’s national economy, and 
the EU economic situation will 
worsen in the next year

Expectations regarding the situation of the economy in the next 12 months

‘Better’
‘Worse’
Same
Don’t know

53%
(+22 pp)

16%
(-12 pp)

28%
(-9 pp)

3%
(-1 pp)

42%
(+18 pp)

16%
(-9 pp)

34%
(-7 pp)

8%
(-2 pp)

The main concerns of Europeans

National

EU

"Rising prices, inﬂation 
and the cost of living" 
is the main concern
of Europeans both 
at the national and 
EU level, along 
with increasing worries 
about energy supply

MAIN CONCERNS AT THE EU LEVEL

34%
(+10 pp)
Rising prices/ 
Inflation/ 
Cost of living 

28%
(+12 pp)
Energy 
supply

28%

International 
situation

20%
(-6 pp)
The environment 
and climate 
change 

19%
(-2 pp)
Economic 
situation

13%
(-5 pp)
The state of 
Member States 
public finances

13%
(-9 pp)
Immigration

MAIN CONCERNS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL

54%
(+13 pp)
Rising prices/ 
Inflation/ 
Cost of living 

22%
(+11 pp)
Energy 
supply

20%
(+1 pp)
Economic 
situation

15%
(-1 pp)
The environment 
and climate 
change 

14%
(-18 pp)
Health

12%

International 
situation

9%
(-5 pp)
Unemployment

Catalogue Number
NA-AO-22-008-EN-N 

ISBN
978-92-76-56537-6

ISSN
1977- 3927

DOI:
10.2775/873521