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Stħarriġ ta' opinjoni tal-Parlament Ewropew 
 

Plenary Insights – September 2021 

Each plenary session, DG Communication provides public opinion data on key topics on the agenda. The September 2021 plenary session features the annual State of the Union speech of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. To assemble citizens’ views and expectations on key challenges facing the European Union, Parliament has commissioned and published on Friday 10 September a dedicated Eurobarometer survey:

  • State of the Union: According to Parliament’s dedicated Flash Eurobarometer on the State of the European Union, 85% of citizens demand transparency and effective control on the use of NextGenerationEU funds. Four out of five respondents (81%) say the EU should only provide funds to Member States conditional upon their governments’ respect for the rule of law and of democratic principles. 60% of Europeans expect NextGenerationEU projects to help their country overcome the economic and social damage brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, despite the fact that 41% express concerns that their national government would ‘use the funds properly’. The image of the EU remains high at 53% at EU level. With regard to Parliament’s political priorities, respondents put climate change back in first place with 43% of mentions. Further priorities, matching Parliament’s priorities for the post-pandemic recovery, are measures to fight poverty and social exclusion (32%), support for the economy and to create new jobs as well as fight against terrorism (both 31%). Public health as well as migration and asylum come in joint fourth position with 27% each.
  • Presentation of the Fit for 55 package & debate on the recent natural disasters in Europe: A Special Eurobarometer on Climate change conducted in March-April 2021, shows that 93% of Europeans consider climate change to be the single most serious problem facing the world. 90% think that greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced to a minimum while offsetting the remaining emissions to make the EU economy climate neutral by 2050, with national governments, business and the EU seen as the most important actors in the fight against climate change.
  • Direction of EU-Russia political relations: The latest Flash Eurobarometer on the State of the European Union conducted in August 2021 by Ipsos European Public Affairs on behalf of the European Parliament shows that 85% of Europeans think that it is important that the EU puts the respect of its core values - such as democracy, human rights and the rule of law - as a priority in its relations with major international actors such as the USA, China, Russia or Turkey.
  • LGBTIQ rights in the EU: Over half of EU citizens (53%) say discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is widespread in their country, according to a Special Eurobarometer on Discrimination in the EU from May 2019. Another survey conducted by the EU’s Agency for Fundamental rights show that LGBTIQ people across the EU believe that law and policy, as well as behaviour by politicians and other public figures greatly affect their lives.