On the occasion of World Refugee Day 2022, the European Commission published the results of a Special Eurobarometer survey on the integration of migrants in the European Union.
World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honour refugees around the globe. It falls each year on June 20 and celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. World Refugee Day is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for their plight and to recognise their resilience in rebuilding their lives.
What do Europeans know and think about the integration of immigrants?
Almost two third of EU citizens tend to overestimate the number of third country nationals as a proportion of the population of their country (68%). Only 38% of Europeans consider themselves well informed about migration and integration. A national analysis reveals that in 23 of the 27 Member States, less than half of those surveyed say that they are well informed about immigration and integration related matters. Among the countries of the AMeLiE project, Germany stands out with a high proportion of the population indicating that they are well informed about these issues (52%). On the other hand, the number of people that consider themselves well-informed in relation to immigration issues are considerably lower in Bulgaria (16%) and Romania (20%). In Greece and Italy the percentage is 25% and 31% respectively. The survey was conducted between 2 November and 3 December 2021 and examined public opinion on the integration of immigrants in the European Union. 26 510 EU citizens were surveyed across all EU Member States.
Lack of information is one of the reasons behind increasing levels of online hate speech. The high number of Europeans overestimating the proportion of third country nationals, it is not surprising that more instances of hate speech appear, especially online.
