A new Eurobarometer was published in July 2025 to map the knowledge and perception of EU Regional policy within European civil society. The survey also focused on transnational funds such as the Interreg Programmes: what has changed compared to the same survey carried out in October 2023?
The Eurobarometer is the main pooling tool used by EU institutions and agencies to monitor public opinion and attitudes towards specific European issues. In 2025, the survey was launched to assess EU citizens’ awareness and perception of EU regional policy in their territories. This policy represents one of EU largest areas of investment, which takes a very high share among all, amounting to a total of €392 billion in the 2021-2027 program period. Between April 22 and May 8, 2025, a sample of 25,737 people aged 15 and over across the European Union was interviewed. The questions revealed that the funds managed by the EU Cohesion Policy somehow remained under radar, as less than 50% of the population surveyed are aware of them, despite the policy’s crucial role in strengthening economic, social, and territorial cohesion in the Union. In particular, 49% of respondents heard about the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and/or the Cohesion Fund at least once, 44% are aware of the European Social Fund, and only 11% know about Interreg.
Despite Interreg’s central role in promoting regional development, fostering cohesion, and addressing economic disparities, awareness of the program has remained stable over the five-year period, registering the same percentage of 11 in the 2023 Eurobarometer survey and of 10 in the 2021 survey. Knowledge of the European territorial cooperation remain below 25% in all countries and ranges from 3% in the Netherlands to 23% in Romania. Considering the IPA ADRION Cooperation area, awareness has decreased in Greece (14%, -4 pp), although the figure remains slightly higher than in Italy (11%). Among IPA ADRION EU members countries, Slovenia records the highest knowledge of Interreg at 18%, while Croatia stands at 14% (+2 pp compared to 2023).
In addition to that, respondents show very poor knowledge of EU initiatives dealing with regional cooperation: 52% aren’t aware of EU cooperation at all. Among those who are, 25% know about the European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation, 17% are aware of Interreg, and 16% have heard about Macroregional Strategies. The data suggest that unfamiliarity with European cooperation projects between regions is higher in countries that have benefited less from European cooperation funds in the recent years, such as the Netherlands (73%), Sweden (73%) and Denmark (72%), while the overall knowledge of cooperative initiatives is higher in Romania, Malta and Poland.
The visibility among citizens of European Territorial Cooperation should be more significant, considering that Interreg has supported 390 programs and more than 30.000 projects since 2000 and allocated nearly €10 billion for the 2021-2027 period by involving countries across and beyond EU borders through cross border, transnational, interregional, and outermost regions cooperation.
Moreover, four in ten respondents (40%) say they have heard about EU co-financed projects to improve the area where they live. Compared to 2023, this data has significantly decreased in 4 Member States: Greece (48%, -12pp), Latvia (54%, -8pp), Estonia (53%, -7pp), and Czechia (64%, -6pp). Regarding the other EU countries within the IPA ADRION cooperation area, only Italy has recorded a slight increase in awareness (56%, +2pp), while Slovenia (61%, -3pp) and Croatia (70%, -2pp) have seen a decrease. This figures confirm a general poor perception of EU projects, even though 79% of those who have heard about them report a positive impact.
The Eurobarometer also investigated public opinion on how Member States should allocate funding: 64% of respondents agreed that investments should be made across all States, focusing on regions with high unemployment (63%), deprived urban areas (51%), and remote rural or mountainous areas (50%). These factors are particularly relevant to avoid the depopulation of remote rural less connected areas and to counteract the main reasons that drive departures mentioned by the respondents, such as lack of quality jobs/limited economic opportunities (29%), lack of trust in the political environment (23%) and lack of affordable quality housing (22%).
Given the central role of Interreg in addressing transnational challenges, supporting regional development, and indirectly tackling factors such as unemployment, depopulation, and limited economic opportunities, greater efforts are needed to strengthen its public visibility across the EU. Improving communication at local and regional levels and making EU-funded projects more tangible for citizens, clearly linking investments to everyday benefits, are all relevant measures that could help in raising citizens’ awareness. Filling the gap between policy and public perception is in fact a key element to reinforcing trust and engagement in the European institution.
Learn more about 2025 Eurobarometer here.
Source for pictures 1 and 2: European Commission Flash Eurobarometer 563 – Citizens’ awareness and perception of EU regional policy (July 2025)
Source for picture 3: Interreg – keep.eu
