Trust in the European Union among citizens of the Western Balkans remains uneven, with Montenegro and Albania reporting the highest levels of confidence, while Serbia records the lowest, according to the latest Standard Eurobarometer survey released on Tuesday.
The survey, conducted in March and April 2025, also found that 52% of EU citizens overall tend to trust the EU – the highest level recorded since 2007.
In the Western Balkans, Montenegro tops the list, with 83% of respondents saying they tend to trust the EU. Albania follows closely with 80%, while Kosovo registers at 79%. North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina also show majority trust in the bloc, at 54% and 58% respectively.
Serbia stands out as an exception, with only 37% of citizens expressing trust in the EU, compared to 57% who say they tend not to trust it.
On the question of EU membership, support remains strongest in Montenegro and Albania, where over 80% of citizens view accession as a positive step. In North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, that number ranges between 50% and 60%. Serbia again trails, with just 34% in favour of membership and 32% saying it would be a bad thing.
Across the EU, 43% of citizens have a positive image of the Union, while 38% view it neutrally and 18% negatively. Some 62% are optimistic about the EU’s future.
Support for EU enlargement among current member states is at 54%, with 39% opposed. However, a majority of citizens in Germany and Austria are against further enlargement – 53% in each country – with just 42% in favour. In France, 41% support expansion, while 49% are opposed. The number of French opponents has fallen since the previous survey.
The Standard Eurobarometer is a biannual survey commissioned by the European Commission to gauge public opinion across the EU and candidate countries.