Governance and citizenship

The European Commission has published a survey on the “Perception of Quality of Life in European Cities”, which was released during the Open Days, organised from 7-10 October 2013.

According to the study, Europeans are mostly satisfied with their cities, especially with public spaces (market areas, sports and cultural facilities), green areas, cleanliness, and city efforts to fight climate change. However, several citizens believe the state of roads and buildings needs improvement, especially in capital cities.

The study also shows that the economic crisis has an impact on cities’ financial resources, and as a consequence, on citizens’ well-being. In addition, several respondents attested to the difficulty of finding a job and affordable housing.

The survey was carried out in 79 cities in all of the EU Member States, as well as in Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Turkey. It allowed some 41 000 citizens to evaluate several aspects of urban life and to express their opinions on issues like housing, employment, and public services.