Almost all of the residents of Cluj (95%) and 82% of Bucharesters are satisfied with living in their city, according to a recent report on the quality of life in European cities released by the European Commission (EC). The European average is 89%.

The report gathers the experiences and opinions of city dwellers across Europe and is based on the results of 58,100 interviews conducted in 83 cities. It revealed that, in 2019, 9 out of 10 people were satisfied with living in their city.

According to the report, people living in northern EU cities are the most satisfied with their city, but satisfaction in eastern EU cities is increasing rapidly. In Romania, for example, 95% of the residents of Cluj and 82% of Bucharesters are satisfied with their city. The largest percentage was recorded in Copenhagen - 98%, while the lowest in Belgrade - 63%.

Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, said: “Cities are home to around 40% of the EU population. They are in the front row of some of Europe’s most acute challenges. Coronavirus infections, for instance, arrived first in the largest and more connected cities in Europe, such as Milan and Madrid, before spreading out to smaller centers and more rural regions. It is, therefore, extremely important that we are aware of the needs of people living in cities and let it guide our policy-making.”

“In most of the eastern European cities, the majority thinks that the quality of life had improved over the last five years. Moreover, residents in larger cities tended to use cars less and public transport more. In terms of social inclusion, cities are more welcoming than the country as a whole, both to immigrants and the LGBTI community,” according to the European Commission.

The full report is available here.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Mihai Neacsu/Dreamstime.com)