The Commission has recently published a national Standard Eurobarometer report on Croatia about public opinion in the EU in autumn 2016.
Over the past year, the positive perception of the EU in Croatia decreased to 35%, the same as in the EU. Only 18% of Croatians have a negative perception of the EU, up six points on the year, as against the 25% in the EU28, up 2%. For 46% of the respondents in Croatia and 38% in the EU28 the EU is a neutral concept.
The Irish have the most positive perception of the EU (55%), followed by Poles (51%) and Romanians (50%), as against only 28% of Austrians, 26% of Cypriots and 17% of Greeks.
Optimism about EU future
Fifty-nine percent of Croatians and 50% of respondents in the EU are optimistic about the Union's future.
Every other respondent in Croatia and the EU28 advocates a stronger Union with single policies at European level.
A single foreign policy is supported by 66% of respondents in the EU and 69% in Croatia, a single energy policy by 73% in the EU and 75% in Croatia, and a single digital market by 73% in the EU and 75% in Croatia.
Freedom of movement, study and business throughout the EU is supported by 81% of respondents in the EU28 and 85% in Croatia.
The sentiment of respondents in Croatia and the EU28 markedly differs only regarding the continuation of enlargement, with 51% in the EU28 against and 39% for it, and only 1/3 in Croatia against enlargement and 62% for it.
Croatian citizens trust European institutions markedly more than Croatian ones, although a majority (46%) trust only the European Parliament. The prevalent opinion among Croatians is that they are poorly informed about European matters.
In Croatia, the survey was conducted on November 5-14, covering 1,062 respondents over 15.