Majority of Maltese back EU funding for migrant integration, survey shows

Maltese citizens are among the most likely in the European Union to value EU investment in the integration of migrants and refugees, according to a new Eurobarometer survey on regional policy.

With 75% of respondents in Malta viewing this funding as important, the country ranks second highest in the EU, alongside Sweden and just behind Luxembourg with 80%.

This is well above the EU average, where only 54% of respondents across all Member States consider such investment important. The survey, commissioned by the European Commission, reveals wide continental variation in how EU citizens perceive the role of EU funding across different policy areas—including migration, education, environment, and innovation.

At the lower end of the spectrum, fewer than one in five respondents in Bulgaria (19%) and Latvia (19%) consider investment in the reception and integration of migrants and refugees to be important. In contrast, Malta’s 75% support places it among a small group of countries where integration funding garners clear public backing.

The Eurobarometer asked respondents to evaluate the importance of EU investment in ten key areas for their city or region. In nearly all Member States—24 out of 27—education, health and social infrastructures emerged as the top priority. Malta was one of three countries, alongside Ireland and Hungary, where 98% of respondents ranked these social domains as important for EU investment, the highest proportion in the EU.

Only Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden diverged from this trend. In Denmark, investment in renewable energy and the environment jointly topped the list (84%), while in the Netherlands, the environment alone was the top priority (93%). In Sweden, research and innovation led with 86%.

Malta also ranks among the top countries in other investment categories. 97% of Maltese respondents believe environmental protection is an important area for EU funding—on par with Italy, the joint highest in the bloc. For investment in renewable, clean energy and energy networks, Malta again ranks near the top, with 94% support, second only to Austria (93%) and Portugal (92%).

Support for research and innovation also remains high among Maltese respondents, although the highest proportions were recorded in Italy (96%), followed by Portugal and Austria (both at 92%).

When it comes to investment in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the strongest backing is found in Portugal (95%), Bulgaria (91%), Latvia (90%), Ireland (90%) and Austria (90%). Malta was not among the top five in this category, though support remains strong compared to Nordic countries like Denmark (59%) and Sweden (64%).

The Eurobarometer also assessed public sentiment towards EU investment in tourism and culture. Italy leads in this category, with 89% of respondents identifying tourism and culture as important investment areas.

Malta follows closely, with 84% of respondents backing such EU funding, alongside Portugal (81%) and Romania (80%).

By contrast, support for investment in tourism and culture is significantly lower in Nordic and Central European countries, with only 44% in Denmark and 46% in Sweden considering it important. Czechia and Finland also show less enthusiasm, with just under half of respondents agreeing.

The survey also shows that 63% of Maltese citizens are aware of projects co-financed by the EU to improve the area where you live in contrast to just 40% of EU citizens. Moreover 87% of Maltese who were aware of these projects think that these projects have had a positive impact on their life in contrast to 79% of all EU citizens.

The survey was based on interviews with 25,737 EU citizens including 508 in Malta. The results for Malta have a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points.