Flash Eurobarometer 423/422 CITIZENS’ AWARENESS AND PERCEPTIONS OF EU REGIONAL POLICY/CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION IN THE EU Survey requested by the Directorate-General.

Flash Eurobarometer 423/422 

CITIZENS’ AWARENESS AND PERCEPTIONS OF EU REGIONAL POLICY/CROSS-BORDER

COOPERATION IN THE EU

Survey requested by the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) and co-ordinated by the Directorate-General for Communication

(DG COMM "Strategy, Corporate Communication Actions and Eurobarometer" Unit). 

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FLASH EUROBAROMETER 423- Survey conducted by telephone (fixed-

line and mobile phone)

- Fieldwork: 24th to 26th of June 2015

- Population: General public 15+

- Coverage: 28 Member States of the EU

- Number of interviews: 28,048 (n=1000

respondents in all Member States)

MethodologyFLASH EUROBAROMETER 422

- Survey conducted by telephone

telephone (fixed-line and mobile

phone);

- Fieldwork: 10th – 30th of June 2015;

- Population: representative sample of

population 15+ in regions covered by

Interreg cross-border cooperation

programmes;

- Coverage: 28 Member States of the EU

+ Norway and Switzerland;

- Number of interviews: 40,619

Both surveys were carried out for the European Commission, requested by

the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) and

coordinated by the Directorate-General for Communication - "Strategy,

Corporate Communication Actions and Eurobarometer" Unit

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I. PERCEPTIONS OF THE REGIONAL POLICY

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Awareness of EU co-financed projects ranged from 9% among those surveyed in the UK to 76% of those polled in Poland

Base: all respondents (N=28,048)

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TV remained the main source of information about EU co-financed projects, with local and regional newspapers also important

Base: respondents who have heard about EU co-financed projects (N=9,568)

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Despite country differences, in all but one country (IT) at least two thirds (66%) had a positive impression of the impact of projects

Base: respondents who have heard about EU co-financed projects (N=9,568)

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In the general EU28 population, 21% are aware of cooperation between regions because of regional funding

Base: all respondents (N=28,048)

Latvia (54%) and Malta (48%) stood out with a higher level of awareness of cooperation between regions

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31% of people living in cross-border areas are aware of EU funded cross-border activities in their region- Awareness is generally highest in Central/Eastern European countries and in Ireland

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Awareness of EU funded cross-border cooperation activities: Highest and lowest results at an overall programme level

Highest and lowest results per programme

Average results: Total ‘Yes’ (31%)

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The majority of respondents (53%) thought that the EU should invest in all its regions, an opinion that is steadily gaining ground since 2010

Base: all respondents (N=28,048)

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A vast majority (72%) thought regions with high unemployment should be targeted for investments under EU regional policy

Base: all respondents (N=28,048)

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II. Crossing borders

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Over one in two respondents (52%) has travelled to other EU Member States that border their country, 76% of those living in the cross-border regions

Base: all respondents (N=28,048)

TO COMPARE WITH OTHER SURVEY

General population Borders programs population

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Respondents living in the border regions covered by Interreg cross-border cooperation programmes in Scandinavian and Central European countries are generally more likely to travel abroad

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The majority of people living in EU border regions (53%) have travelled to a neighbouring country covered by an Interreg cross-border cooperation programme running in their region

Respondents in Luxembourg, Ireland, and the Netherlands are the most likely to have travelled to a neighbouring country

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Three out of four respondents who travelled to bordering EU Member States did so for leisure activities including tourist visits

Base: respondents who have travelled to other Member States that border their country in the last 12 months (N=14,348)

TO COMPARE WITH OTHER SURVEY

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Respondents living in border regions are most likely to travel to a partner country covered by an Interreg cross-border cooperation programme for leisure activities (44%)

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III. LIVING IN A BORDER REGION: AN

OPPORTUNITY?

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Respondents living in regions covered by programs are more likely to think living in a border region is an opportunity, rather than an obstacle (37% vs. 4%)

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Language difference is the only issue identified as a problem for cross-border cooperation by at least half the respondents (57%)