This month we completed our research! Over 150 youth aged 13 to 30 from the five partner countries were asked about their knowledge and practise when it came to EU Values and EU Green Deal.

Here’s what the they had to say – oh and you can read the whole report here.

Most recognised EU values

Democracy, equality, freedom, and human rights are the celebrities of EU values—most young people across all five countries could name at least one. But some knew more than others… Romanian and Greek respondents showed the broadest grasp, listing multiple values. On the flip side, Croatian youth had the highest percentage (29%) who couldn’t name any values—time for more EU-themed trivia nights – come on Jedna Mladost!!

Schools, media, and social media are major sources of EU knowledge, but in Romania and Greece, family also plays a big role – amazing insight. Meanwhile, Croatian and Bulgarian youth get most of their EU info from schools and media.

Connection to the EU

Is the EU vibing with youth? Romanian youth are the most enthusiastic, with 53.3% feeling very connected, followed by Serbian youth. But in Bulgaria and Croatia, many young people feel left out—64.5% and 22.6%, respectively, said they don’t feel connected at all. Croatia also had the highest scepticism, with 3.2% expressing strong negative attitudes. Crazy given they’re some of the newest members, with some of the largest project spends – what’s happened to visibility?

Surely they know about sustainability

Good news: Over 90% of respondents know about the EU Green Deal! And even better, many are already taking action. Recycling, saving energy, and cutting down waste are common habits, with environmental protection ranked as the top priority, followed by social equity and economic growth.

Romanian youth take the crown AGAIN, with 23.3% always practicing sustainability. Bulgarians (35.5%) and Serbians (34.3%) often take action too. Greek youth are a bit more hit-or-miss, with 42.4% engaging “sometimes” and 18.2% always participating. Croatia? Well, 6.5% admitted they never engage in sustainability efforts—time to turn things around. They need to turn their sports skills into sustainable skills.

Who should be doing more?

A massive 90%+ of respondents believe EU citizens should take greater responsibility for sustainability. But here’s the twist: Greek and Bulgarian youth feel that stronger policies and better support for vulnerable groups are essential for real change. So, it’s not just about individual efforts—big-picture action matters too!

What’s next?

Well with all this data, we put together some recommendations on how we can improve knowledge and awareness. Now Svetlost will be creating some fun and engaging workshops, and then a framework for the debates (a.k.a roundtables, but debates sound more fun, no?).

Then from April it’s into action, as we deliver these 5 workshops and 5 roundtables, to a minimum of 10 youth!