The latest Eurobarometer on ‘Citizens' awareness and perceptions of EU regional policy’, conducted in the spring 2017, has just been published in June 2017.

The Eurobarometer is part of a series of studies that examines Europeans’ awareness of and attitudes towards EU Regional Policy. The respondents’ awareness of EU co-financed projects and of EU’s key regional funds are reported in the study. Also reported are the opinions on which geographical regions and areas of investment the EU should target and who should take decisions about regional investments. The study concludes by looking at public awareness of cross-border cooperation, including four EU macro-regional strategies in the Baltic Sea, Danube river, Alpine area and Adriatic and Ionian Sea regions, Interreg and EU outermost regions.

According to the Eurobarometer a majority of respondents in EU countries are unaware that there is an EU strategy to promote cooperation in certain areas (59%). More than a tenth of respondents (14%) are aware of a strategy to promote cooperation between countries around the Baltic Sea. Fewer are aware of similar initiatives around the Danube river, the Alpine area (both 8%) and the Adriatic and Ionian Sea (7%).

Source: Flash Eurobarometer 452

“Around the Baltic Sea” is the most mentioned answer in 17 countries. More than half the respondents in Sweden and Estonia (both 51%) and Finland (60%) mention this area of cooperation.

Source: Flash Eurobarometer 452

In addition to the Eurobarometer overall report, factsheets of each member state are provided in English and on national languages.

Find the report and factsheets here.