Press Statement: Rising cost of living the foremost concern of most people in Europe

The rising cost of living is the most pressing worry for 93% of Europeans, followed by the threat of poverty and social exclusion, according to a recent European Parliament Eurobarometer survey. The survey complements analyses of the fifth round of Eurofound’s Living, working and COVID-19 survey, which shows that most respondents in the EU are struggling to make ends meet.

According to the European Parliament’s Autumn 2022 Eurobarometer Survey, in every EU Member State more than seven in ten respondents are worried about the rising cost of living, with peak results in Greece (100%), Cyprus (99%), Italy and Portugal (both 98%). The second most mentioned worry is the threat of poverty and social exclusion with 82%, followed by climate change and the spread of the war in Ukraine, both at 81%. The results are based on 26,431 interviews conducted across the EU in October and November.

The survey also found that citizens expect the EU to continue working on solutions to mitigate the compounding effects of the consecutive crises that have hit the continent. Overall, support for the EU remains high, buoyed by the bloc’s capacity to unite, and to deploy effective measures to respond to large-scale challenges.

Speaking following the publishing of the new Eurobarometer survey, Eurofound Executive Director Ivailo Kalfin said, ‘The soaring prices resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have exacerbated social vulnerabilities in Europe at a time when people are recovering from the fallout of the COVID-19 crisis. Eurofound is closely following these impacts, including mitigation measures taken by Member States. Support for vulnerable social groups and businesses that have been most severely impacted must be sufficient and well-targeted.’

More information:

• European Parliament: Autumn 2022 Eurobarometer Survey
• Eurofound: Living, working and COVID-19 e-survey
• Eurofound Talks: Living in a new era of uncertainty