Citizens´ awareness and perception of EU Regional policy
On behalf of the European Commission, Directorate-General for Urban and Regional Policy, Ipsos European Public Affairs interviewed a representative sample of citizens, aged 15 and over, in each of the 27 Member States of the EU. Between 22 April and 8 May 2025, 25 737 interviews were conducted over the telephone (landline and mobile phones).
79% of EU citizens who are aware of EU-funded projects think that these projects have a positive impact in their region or city. 57% said that EU-funded projects in their area contributed “somewhat or to a large extent” to their feeling of being EU citizens. The share of respondents aware of EU co-financed projects has remained stable at around 40% since 2019. 64% say the EU should invest in all its regions, not just poorer regions. The top priority for investment cited by respondents is regions with high unemployment (63%).
Key findings
A key findings video can be found here.
Read here a summary of the survey.
Factsheets for GREECE and BULGARIA.
Awareness of EU regional policy
The proportion of EU citizens who are aware of EU-funded projects in their region has remained stable at around 40% since 2019 – this represents an increase of around 5 percentage points compared to 2017.  68% of respondents have heard of at least one of the shared management funds (ERDF/Cohesion Fund, European Social Fund, Interreg and Just Transition Fund).
Positive impression of EU-funded projects
Among those who are aware of EU-funded projects, a large majority (79%) think they have a positive impact on their region or city.  This figure is above 70% in 25 of the 27 Member States.  Across the EU, 57% of those aware of EU-funded projects in their area say they contributed “somewhat or to a large extent” to their feeling of being EU citizens.
Sources of information on EU-funded projects
The most frequently mentioned first sources of information on EU co-financed projects are national TV (15%), the Internet (14%), billboards (13%), and local or regional newspapers (10%).  The Internet is the most mentioned source of where respondents heard about EU-funded projects, including after they first became aware of them (40%).
Priorities for EU regional investment
64% say that the EU should invest in all its regions, while 32% say the EU should only invest in poorer regions. The highest investment priority is given to regions with high unemployment (63%).  The most supported priority for EU regional investment for the next few years, is the improvement of infrastructure for health and education (mentioned by 49% of respondents). This is followed by environmental protection, water resources, and climate action (38%), job creation and access to the labour market (31%), housing and energy efficiency (27%), research, innovation and digital technology (27%), and the improvement of transport connections (25%).
Source and more info here.