More than a third of Maltese think the EU should have its own army to deal with international disputes, a study has found.

The figures were published as part of a Eurobarometer survey that revealed the Maltese were the most concerned among EU citizens about the lack of decisions being taken on the migrant influx.

Some 80 per cent of Maltese respondents said they expected the EU to be more proactive when dealing with the issue.

This figure was more than 20 per cent higher than the EU average and seems to reflect that of University of Malta students.

A study last week revealed that some 30 per cent of students would not be comfortable sharing the campus with migrants.

On top of that, about 40 per cent said they would not even feel comfortable living in the same street as a migrant.

The students’ views contrasted with a Eurobarometer study last year that found University students were among the least likely to have issues with immigrants.

The call for a consolidated EU army, on the other hand, was not exclusively a local sentiment.

In fact, nearly half of the EU citizens surveyed said they felt this would be a good idea to ensure security within the Union.

The EU already has a military organisation. Made up of personnel from all 28 member states, the forces are pooled for different humanitarian projects and so the said organisation is not a standby military force.

Known as the European Military Staff, the organisation is responsible for operations falling under the common security policy, mostly focused on peacekeeping and civilian missions.

Other issues high on the Maltese priority list included unemployment (53 per cent) and other member states’ public debt (33 per cent).

These concerns also had an impact on the way the Maltese felt the future would pan out.

While 43 per cent said they felt life in the EU would be easier for their children, more than a third felt the opposite was true.

In contrast, three quarters of French respondents thought life in the EU was only getting worse.