The survey’s main takeaways, as illustrated below, are:
A steady support for a common defence and security policy:
The support for a common defence and security policy among EU Member States has remained stable at 77%.
Over the longer term, public support has been relatively stable since spring 2020.
The majority of citizens in each Member State are in favour of a common defence and security policy among EU Member States, with support ranging from 92% of respondents in Luxembourg, to 56% in Austria, 65% in Malta and 66% in Bulgaria.
Compared to last winter, the support for a common defence and security policy among EU Member States has increased in 16 countries, including Luxembourg, Portugal, Sweden and Romania.
In contrast, support has declined in eight countries including Malta, Cyprus and Poland.
There has been no change in opinion amongst respondents in Hungary, Estonia and Bulgaria.
Improving cooperation in defence matters
Eight in ten Europeans agree that cooperation in defence matters at EU level should be increased.
In 22 countries, respondents are most likely to agree that cooperation in defence matters should be increased, with the strongest levels of agreement observed in Portugal (92%), Lithuania and Croatia (90% each). It shares first position in Belgium, Czechia and Greece with “Member States’ purchase of military equipment should be better coordinated”.
Cooperation in defence matters ranks second in five countries including Poland (88%) and Denmark (81%).
It is worth noting that this priority appears in the top two in all 27 Member States.
A better coordination of military purchases
77% agree that Member States’ coordinated purchase of military equipment should be improved.
It ranks first in seven countries with the highest levels seen in Denmark (83%), in Belgium and Greece (83% each)
Increasing defence spending
Two thirds of EU citizens agree that more money should be spent on defence in the EU (66%).
It is the only other statement that is the most agreed upon in any country.
Reinforcing producing capacities for military equipment
More than two thirds (69%) agree that the EU needs to reinforce its capacity to produce military equipment.
View the full Eurobarometer results on https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/3052 under the sections “In favour of a strengthened Europe of defence” and “A stronger Europe in the world”.
