site.btaGrowing Perception of Threat in Europe - Eurobarometer

There is a growing perception among Europeans that their countries are facing threats in today’s international environment, according to Eurobarometer survey data presented by the European Commission ahead of the Munich Security Conference.

A majority of EU citizens would like to see greater joint efforts in defence and believe that investments in this area are important. EU space programmes are perceived as a key tool for addressing defence and security challenges, environmental protection and competitiveness, the Commission said in a statement.

Slightly more than two thirds of Europeans (68%) say their country faces a threat (61% in Bulgaria), while 42% say they personally feel threatened. Concern is strongest among citizens of France (80%), the Netherlands and Denmark (77%), and Cyprus and Germany (75%).

Most Europeans (52%) trust the EU to strengthen security and defence (44% in Bulgaria), while 74% approve of defence investments or expect such spending to increase. In Bulgaria, 39% believe defence investments are sufficient, 29% say they are insufficient, and 20% consider them too high.