Support for EU crashes across the ContinentSupport for EU crashes across the Continent
By : Fraser Nelson - Political Editor November 06, 2005
CONFIDENCE in the European Union (EU) is in freefall across almost every member state, according to the EU’s own opinion poll. The pan-European survey, prepared for the European Commission, also reveals that only one-third of Britons see benefit in continued membership, the lowest in the 25 countries polled.
Trust in the Brussels commission, the executive branch of the EU, has plunged from 52% to 46% throughout the union. In Britain, the commission is trusted by 31% and distrusted by 38%.
Fall-out from the recent French and Dutch campaigns for the EU constitution referendum has prompted a fundamental rethink across Europe about the future of Brussels, the majority of Europeans believing the European Commission’s budget should be frozen.
The cascade of negative data from the study is the most severe since records began in 1975, according to Taylor Nelson Sofres, the research firm which conducted the survey. In what it describes as the largest opinion poll in the world, the Eurobarometer project conducted face-to-face interviews with 30,000 respondents and found a sharp reversal on the steady build of goodwill towards the EU recorded in recent years.
Particular dismay with the EU was found in Britain, where a majority – 42% to 40% – believe the UK has not benefited from its 30-year membership and only 36% of those questioned considered membership “a good thing”.
Of the 25 members, only 10 countries say they have a “positive image” of the EU. Again, Britain is at the bottom of this poll, with only 28% regarding Brussels in a positive light. Ireland records the highest satisfaction, with 68%.
All 10 new EU members are shown to be going cold on the euro, with a marked drop in those believing it would be good for their countries, the fugures falling to 38%, from 44% and interest in the single currency is now a minority issue, at 48%.
Across all 25 countries, there is concern about expansion of the Commission’s E121bn ($146bn. £82bn) budget. When asked if the EU’s “political objectives justify an increase in the union’s budget” 50% of Europeans say “no” and only 32% yes. Even the European Central Bank has been affected by the downturn. It had previously been trusted by 51% of Europeans, a majority; support has now fallen to 46% in tandem with increasing dismay at the euro.
Leendert de Voogd, managing director of Taylor Nelson Sofres Opinion & Social, said he was struck by the sharp drop in trust. “It’s highly unusual to see so sharp a change,” he said. “Also when we ask if their countries benefit from being in the EU, we see a clear negative trend.”
Much of this, he said, can be attributed to the referendum campaigns and the accompanying publicity. “During the referendum, there were adverts for plumbers coming to our country to steal our jobs. Such images make sense to a majority of people.”
Open Europe, a new Eurosceptic think tank, said the poll compounds the case for reforming the EU that is being made by Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister, during his low-key six-month presidency which ends at the end of next month. “It is striking that most people in the UK now think there are no benefits to Britain from EU membership,” said Neil O’Brien, Open Europe’s director. “Unless the EU transforms itself more and more people will turn against it.”
The 440-page Eurobarometer report offers several other insights on the EU, especially the growing hostility towards the United States, which a majority of 55% consider to be a “negative force” for peace. Only 25% consider it a “positive force”. Britain is found to be little different, with 47% seeing the US as a negative force, and only 23% disagreeing.
There is a big split on Turkey’s accession to the EU. The British support its membership by 45% to 37%, but the average across the EU?is 55% to 32% against. The Eurobarometer poll found the main objection to Turkey was its human rights record, followed by its poor economy. But losing jobs to low-cost member states was the first objection raised to expanding the EU beyond its 25 members.
The survey had much to support Blair’s theory that voters are ripe for liberalism. Of all various words tested, “monopoly” solicited the most hostile reaction (69%). Next came “protectionism” (49%) and then “globalisation” (46%). Concern for unemployment was he highest in its 30-year history. Some 47% of respondents said the EU should prioritise fighting unemployment. Blair wants the EU to liberalise to meet this goal.
Since Eurobarometer sbegan polling in 1975, Britain has been the most sceptical country – but now vies with Sweden, which is more adamant than any other member state that it has not benefited from EU membership.
Eurobarometer is not known for producing negative opinions about the EU in Britain. It has produced the only poll to show a UK majority for the written constitution – 43% in favour and 36% against. It also suggested the French and Dutch favoured of the idea by 60% to 28% and 53% to 38% respectively.
Referendums in both countries returned a decisive “no” verdict by 55% to 45% for France and 53% to 38% for the Netherlands.
