Flash Eurobarometer 458: The euro area

For this survey carried out on 16- 18 October 2017, some 17 500 respondents across the 19 euro area countries were interviewed by phone. Compared with last year, the results show a strong improvement of support for the euro. A euro area majority of 64% thinks that having the euro is a good thing for their country. This is the highest proportion since the start of the survey in 2002, and up significantly from 56% in 2016. It is the view of the majority of respondents in 16 euro area countries. There are nevertheless some important differences between the 19 countries. The highest increase in support compared with the 2016 results was noted in Germany with a raise of 12 percentage points to 76%, followed by France with a raise of 11 points to 64%. Highest support for the euro remains to be in Ireland at 85%. On the other hand, continued strongest decrease was noted in Lithuania by 6 percentage points to now 36%. A euro area majority of 74% sees the euro as good for the EU as a whole, an increase by seven percentage points compared to 2016. Asked about economic policy coordination in the euro area, an unchanged overall majority of 67% thinks there should be more coordination while 7% think there should be less of it. An increase by two percentage points to 64% was noted in overall support for abolishing 1-cent and 2-cent coins combined with mandatory rounding of the final sum of purchases. However, relative majorities in Latvia (49%) and Portugal (46%) are against this proposal. Citizens replied to a set of questions focusing on issues ranging from perception and practical aspects of the euro to their assessment of the economic situation, policy and reforms in their country and in the euro area. In addition, citizens were asked about their views and expectations regarding household income and inflation. #####The results by volumes are distributed as follows: * Volume A: Countries * Volume AA: Groups of countries * Volume A' (AP): Trends * Volume AA' (AAP): Trends of groups of countries * Volume B: EU/socio-demographics * Volume B' (BP) : Trends of EU/ socio-demographics * Volume C: Country/socio-demographics ---- Researchers may also contact GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences: [https://www.gesis.org/eurobarometer](https://www.gesis.org/eurobarometer)