First independent poll of all 27 EU member states released to coincide with Berlin summit
23 March 2007
PRESS RELEASE: EMBARGO 22:00 23 March
Open Europe today releases the first independent poll on the future of the European Union to be carried out in all 27 EU member states. As EU leaders gather in Berlin to agree a declaration on the future of Europe, we asked voters how they thought the EU should change. TNS carried out interviews in all EU member states during March.
Key findings
75% of people in the EU want a referendum on any new treaty which gives more powers to the EU. In the UK, 83% would want a vote to be held. A majority in all 27 countries would want a referendum.
Across the EU as a whole, 28% think the EU should have more powers than it has now and that more decisions should be taken at the European level. 23% think the EU should keep the powers it has now, but should not be given any more. 41% think the EU should have less powers than it has now and that more decisions should be taken at a national or local level. In the UK the equivalent figures were 11%, 27%, and 58% - a clear majority for taking powers back.
If there was a referendum on a treaty giving new powers to the EU, on average 41% of people in the EU would vote for it, with an exactly equal 41% voting against. But UK voters would vote more than three to one against a such a new treaty (67% - 21%). Majorities would also vote “no” in 16 EU countries, including Germany.
While the Berlin Declaration is to cite the euro as one of the great achievements of the EU, a majority of citizens in the eurozone want to go back to their old national currencies. For the eurozone as a whole 47% wanted to keep the euro, but 49% wanted to go back to their old currency. There is majority support for keeping the euro in only 6 out of the 13 euro member countries.
If there were a referendum, 11 out of the 14 non euro members would vote not to join the euro. Opposition to joining in the UK is at its highest ever: 77% – 19% against. Only Romania, Denmark and Malta would vote to join.
Looking at how the EU should change, across the EU as a whole, voters’ top priorities were to establish clear fixed limits on the powers of the EU, and to reduce the EU’s trade barriers against developing countries. Their lowest priorities are the creation of an EU foreign minister, further enlargement and CAP reform.
In the UK, the voters’ top priority is to “turn the EU into just a simple free trade area, without political aims”. Their bottom priority would be the creation of an EU foreign minister.
For the EU as a whole, 56% agreed with the statement that “the European Union does not represent ordinary people in our country”. Only 34% disagreed. In the UK the figures were 68% - 27%.
Open Europe Director Neil O’Brien said:
“EU leaders are meeting today behind closed doors to draw up a document on the future of the EU. They would do well to listen to what the voters are saying instead.”
“The Berlin Declaration is likely to start a process leading to a new treaty to replace the rejected EU Constitution. EU leaders hope to avoid holding referendums on a new treaty, but voters all across Europe are saying that they want to have the final say on any new treaty that gives more powers to the EU.”
“There is little support for giving the EU further powers. In fact voters’ top priority is to set clear limits on the powers of the EU to stop the creeping expansion of its powers. Instead of ignoring the voters and pressing ahead with a new treaty regardless, it is now time to return powers back to the national and local level and to create a looser and more democratic EU.”
Notes for editors
A full breakdown of the results is available at:
http://www.openeurope.org.uk/research/mainfindings.pdf
For more information contact Neil O’Brien on 0207 197 2333 or 07973 142775.
A presentation of the findings of the poll will form part of a press conference in Berlin on Sunday, at 12:30 at the Siegessäule.
http://www.berlin2007.org/conference.htm
Total sample size was 17,443. TNS polled 1,000 people in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, Britain and Romania and 500 people in other member member states. As the telephone penetration rate is not high enough in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Romania, interviews were conducted using face-to-face methodology. In all other countries interviews took place by telephone.
