Maltese keenest on EU action on work-life balance and wages

The Maltese are among the most likely in Europe to favour more decision-making at a European level on a wide variety of social issues, a survey by Eurobarometer reveals.

They are also the most keen to see Europe take action addressing work-life balance and wages.

When asked to state in which three social issues (out of 15 mentioned) on which the European Union should focus, 31% mentioned the work-life balance in contrast to just 10% of all EU respondents.

29% also think that this should be a priority for the Maltese government in contrast to 11% of EU respondents, who think this should be a priority for their national government.

The survey was held in December and coincided with the presentation of a report by Labour MEP Alex Agius Saliba on the right to disconnect after work hours, and may reflect the new reality brought about by the pandemic which has seen more people working from home.

The survey also shows that 26% of Maltese want EU action on wages while a further 17% want action on minimum incomes.

But when asked on what should be the main priority for the Maltese government in preparing for the future of Europe, 35% replied wages while 23% mentioned ‘minimum income’.

With regards to what should be the priorities of the national government, wages were the most frequently mentioned item in seven countries: Hungary (50%), Croatia (47%), Lithuania (39%), Poland (38%), Cyprus (36%), Malta (35%) and France (29%).

The survey also shows that a large majority of respondents in each EU Member State believe that there should be more decision-making at European level for ‘promoting decent working conditions in the EU and abroad’.

The result contrasts with the opposition of the Maltese parliament to a proposed EU directive regulating minimum wages based on the principle that wages remain the prerogative of nation states in respect of the principle of subsidiarity.

While support for more EU decision making on working conditions stands at 76% in Malta, nine in ten respondents share this opinion in Slovenia (91%), Greece and Cyprus (90% in both countries). At the other end of the scale, less than two-thirds of respondents hold this view in Slovakia (59%), Poland (61%) and Romania (63%).

In Malta, support for more European decision-making on working conditions came only second to action on climate change, which is supported by 79% of Maltese respondents.

Like other Europeans, the Maltese were the least keen on support for digitization and automation, with less than 60% supporting more Europe on this specific issue.

In all 27 EU Member States, over two-thirds of respondents say that a social Europe is important to them personally, with the highest scores being recorded in Portugal (98%), Spain (95%) Ireland (94%) Malta (90%), and the lowest in Finland (69%), Estonia (78%), Czechia and Romania (79% in both countries).

In ten EU Member States, over half of respondents state that a social Europe is ‘very important’ to them personally, most notably in Ireland (61%), Malta (59%) and Slovenia (57%).

Percentage Maltese who want ‘more Europe’, by subject 

Top 7 issues where the EU should prepare for future