Analytics, Estonia, EU – Baltic States, Society

Migration issues were named as one of the biggest challenges for the EU by 52% of the respondents in Estonia, the ageing of the EU's population by 42%, and terrorism and security issues by 41%.

In the Eurobarometer survey, respondents were asked what they thought were the main challenges faced by the EU. They were able to choose three answers from a list of ten answers.

Just like in Estonia, migration issues were considered to be the biggest challenge for the EU in Malta, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Bulgaria.

Terrorism and security issues were chosen the most often by respondents in Finland, Holland, the UK, and partially in Denmark.

Social inequality was viewed as the main challenge by residents in Germany, Lithuania, Sweden, Denmark and Slovakia.

In the remaining 15 member states respondents most often identified unemployment as the EU's main challenge.

For Estonian respondents the next biggest challenges for the EU after the top 3 were social inequality, named by 32%, unemployment, named by 27%, insufficient economic growth, named by 17%, instability in regions bordering the EU, named by 16%, environmental issues, named by 9%, the public debt of the EU member states, named by 8%, and competition from emerging countries, named by 6%.

Estonian residents' concern over migration issues had declined by one percentage point compared with a similar survey a year ago. Their concern over terrorism had grown by eight points, concern over insufficient economic growth had declined by seven points, and concern over the ageing of the EU population had declined by six points. The latter indicator remains the highest in the EU.

The survey was carried out between Sept. 23 and Oct. 2, 2017 and interviews were conducted in the 28 member states of the European Union. In Estonia the poll was taken by TNS Emor by interviewing 1,007 people.