Europabrede opiniepeiling: grondhouding van burgers ten aanzien van Europese Unie verbetert (en)
Eurobarometer 62, conducted between 2 October and 8 November 2004 shows that the climate of opinion has improved since the spring, even though unemployment remains one of the main preoccupations. The public image of the European Union is more positive and two thirds of people are in favour of the idea of a Constitution for the Union. There is broad consensus on the principle of a common foreign and security policy.
Commenting on the results of the opinion poIl, Vice President Margot Wallström, responsible for Institutional relations and Communication strategy, said:
"It has been a year of renewal and redefinition for the European Union: the year of historic enlargement, European elections in 25 states, a new Commission and the adoption of the Constitutional treaty.
Thus it is highly encouraging to note higher confidence in EU, its role in global affairs, and very firm support for the idea of the European Constitution. It is an important impetus for action for the new Commission to deliver its vision of prosperity and solidarity in European Union.
Against this background, the key Eurobarometer indicators show a marked rise.
The main lessons to be drawn from the survey are:
- EU citizens are slightly more optimistic about the future and happier about their personal situation. However, unemployment is still felt to be one of the most important problems their countries have to tackle.
- More than one in two of those questioned thinks their country's membership of the European Union is a good thing (56%, +8 points), the highest rating recorded for almost ten years. Only 13% of those asked (-4) thought it a bad thing. The perception of the benefits of membership has risen significantly (53%, +6 points). Lastly, the EU's overall image is better too: one person in two now views it in a positive light (50%, +6 points), while 15% of people had a negative image of the EU and 33% gave a neutral response.
- Confidence in the Commission and the European Parliament is higher, standing at 52% (+4 points) and 57% (+3 points) respectively among EU citizens.
- The idea of a Constitution for the European Union continues to gain ground: more than two thirds of those questioned were in favour (68%, +5 points). The highest levels of support were in Belgium, Slovenia, Germany and Luxembourg, while people in the Nordic countries and the United Kingdom expressed the strongest reservations.
- The enlargement to 10 new member states went well according to EU citizens. They are now 53% in favour of a further enlargement of the Union in the years to come and this figure even reaches 72% in the new Member States.
- Within the context of a turbulent international framework, the perception of the role played by the United States on the international scene has deteriorated while that of the European Union has slightly improved. 61% of the respondents consider that the Union plays a positive role regarding peace in the world (+1 point), whereas they are only 22% to attribute such a positive role to United States (-5 points).
- Meanwhile, an overwhelming majority of citizens support the idea of a common security and defence policy (78%, +5 points) and of a common foreign policy (69%, +3 points).
Technical note: Eurobarometer Standard 62 was conducted by TNS Opinion & Social/EOS Gallup Europe between 2 October and 8 November 2004. Altogether 24791 people aged 15 and over were interviewed in the 25 Member States of the European Union, as well as 4043 people in the four candidate countries and 500 in the northern half of Cyprus.
Eurobarometer Standard surveys are conducted twice a year, in the spring and in autumn. The first findings are published today and the full report will be published in February 2005.
All the Eurobarometer surveys can be found on the web site below: