The survey was taken before criticism of the European Commission over the slow roll-out of vaccines Shutterstock

The survey was taken before criticism of the European Commission over the slow roll-out of vaccines Shutterstock

In Luxembourg, 81% of people in December 2020 said Luxembourg being in the EU is a good thing, the same amount as during a previous survey in October 2019. On average, 63% of respondents across the EU thought their country being a member was a good thing, up 4% compared to before the coronavirus pandemic.

In the same survey, 85% of respondents from Luxembourg said the grand duchy benefitted from the EU, compared to an EU average of 72%, which was also up 4% compared to the year before.

Among the main benefits, Luxembourg residents listed cooperation with other EU countries, economic growth, peace and security, and the EU giving a bigger voice to the country in the world.

More people also said that things in the EU were moving in the right direction, with this sentiment up 18% in Luxembourg (reaching 52%), and up 7% across the EU (to reach 39%). Around three quarters of respondents from Luxembourg (77%) and the EU (72%) said the EU would help their country recover from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

It should be noted, however, that survey interviews took place in November and December, before the roll-out of the coronavirus vaccine, which has been slower than anticipated and earned the European Commission criticism from member states.

While around half of respondents in both the Luxembourg and EU groups said they expected their own living conditions to remain the same over the coming year, roughly the same amount also expected the economy to get worse.

People from Luxembourg listed reducing poverty and social inequality, protecting the environment and biodiversity, cooperation within the EU and third countries, and fighting organised crime as the top four priorities the European Parliament should tackle.

The top values the parliament should defend were indicated as solidarity among EU countries, protection of human rights and gender equality.

Overall, people said the European Parliament should play a bigger role in Europe: 63% across the EU (up 5% from the year before) compared to 79% of respondents from Luxembourg (also up 5%).