Plenary Insights – March 2021 

Each plenary session, DG Communication provides public opinion data on key topics on the agenda. For the plenary session of March 2021, relevant survey data is available on:

• International Women’s Day: According to the last Special Eurobarometer on Social Issues, for 70% of Europeans more decisions should be taken at European level with regard to ‘promoting equal treatment of women and men.’
• Programme for the Union's action in the field of health for the period 2021-2027 (“EU4Health Programme”): The Special Eurobarometer on Social Issues further finds that ‘Health care’ is by far the most important issue for the future of Europe according to Europeans.

• Action Plan for the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, in preparation of the Social Summit in Porto in May: In the latest EP Eurobarometer, citizens formulate a new top political priority for the European Parliament: 48% of respondents want the fight against poverty and social inequalities at the top of the EP’s agenda. This is the first priority in 23 Member States.
• InvestEU Programme: According to the last EP Eurobarometer survey, almost three in four EU citizens (72%) agree that the EU recovery plan will allow their country’s economy to recover more rapidly from the negative effects of the coronavirus pandemic, while one in four (24%) disagree.
• A WTO-compatible EU carbon border adjustment mechanism: Even in times of a pandemic, citizens think tackling the climate emergency should be a top priority. In the last EP survey on public opinion in the EU in times of COVID-19, more than half of respondents (56%) think that the EU should do more to achieve its objective of making the EU economy climate neutral by 2050, and say that fighting climate change must be a top priority.
• Government attempts to silence free media in Poland, Hungary and Slovenia: According to a Special Eurobarometer on the Rule of Law from April 2019, a vast majority of EU citizens considers it important or essential that the media and journalists (90% of respondents) as well as civil society and organisations and activists (87% of respondents) can criticise the government or major economic interests without the risk of intimidation.
• Declaration of the EU as an LGBTI Freedom Zone: According to a Special Eurobarometer on Discrimination in the EU from May 2019, over half of EU citizens (53%) say discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is widespread in their country. Results of a survey conducted by the EU’s Agency for Fundamental rights show that LGBTI people across the EU believe that law and policy, as well as behaviour by