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Open Europe poll on the future of Europe (March 2007)
On behalf of Open Europe, TNS polled 1,000 people in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, Britain and Romania and 500 people in the other (20) member states. The total sample size was 17,443 and the interviews were carried out in March 2007.
- 75% of people in the EU wanted a referendum on any new treaty which gives more powers to the EU. In the UK the figure was 83%. Question (i).
- If there was a referendum on giving more powers to the EU, on average 41% would vote for it, and 41% would vote against. In the UK 21% would vote for it but 67% would vote against. Question (ii).
- Across the EU, 41% think the EU should have less powers than it has now, 23% the same powers and 28% think it should have more powers. In the UK the equivalent figures were 58%, 27% and 11%. Question (iii).
- Of the eurozone countries, 6 preferred their previous currencies to the euro, including Germany. Question (iv).
- Of the non-eurozone countries 11 out of the 14 would vote not to join. In the UK 77% would vote against, the top "sceptic" response, and only 19% for. Question (v).
- Looking at how the EU should change, the British voters' top priority was "to turn the EU into just a simple free trade are, without political aims". Question (vi).
Selected key findings:
(i) If a new treaty is drawn up which gives more powers to the EU, do you think that people should be given a say on this in a referendum (or citizen consultation) or do you think that it should just be up to the national parliament to ratify this treaty? % of respondents (selected countries)
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Yes
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No
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Don't know
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Balance (yes minus no)
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Average
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75
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20
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5
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55
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|
|
|
|
|
|
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Ireland (1)
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87
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11
|
1
|
76
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|
Greece (2)
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83
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14
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3
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69
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UK (3)
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83
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15
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3
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68
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Czech Republic (4)
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82
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15
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3
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67
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France (5)
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81
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16
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3
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65
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Germany (7)
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77
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23
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1
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54
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|
Poland (12)
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74
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16
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10
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58
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Spain (15)
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73
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24
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3
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49
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Italy (19)
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70
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23
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8
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47
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The Netherlands (26)
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62
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29
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9
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33
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(ii) If a new treaty is drawn up which would transfer more powers to the EU, would you vote for it or against it in a referendum (or citizen consultation)? % of respondents (selected countries)
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For
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Against
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Abstain
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Don't know
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Balance (for minus against)
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Average
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41
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41
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5
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14
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0
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Sweden (1)
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16
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78
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0
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6
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-62
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|
UK (2)
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21
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67
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6
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7
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-46
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Germany (10)
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40
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52
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1
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8
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-12
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Ireland (11)
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38
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49
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3
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10
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-11
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Netherlands (19)
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41
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38
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4
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17
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+3
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France (21)
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50
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37
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2
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12
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+13
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Spain (26)
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60
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22
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3
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15
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+38
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Italy (27)
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60
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15
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3
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22
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+45
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(iii) Which of the following comes closest to your own view? (a) the EU should have more powers, (b) the EU should keep the powers it has now, but should not be given more, (c) the EU should have less powers. % of respondents (selected countries)
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More power
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Same power
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Less power
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Don't know
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Balance (more minus less)
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Average
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28
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23
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41
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8
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-13
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|
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|
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Finland (1)
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5
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26
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67
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1
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-62
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Sweden (2)
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4
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35
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59
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2
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-55
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UK (4)
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11
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27
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58
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5
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-47
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Germany (16)
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29
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23
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42
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5
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-13
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France (17)
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34
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16
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46
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5
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-12
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Netherlands (21)
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29
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23
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35
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14
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-6
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Spain (25)
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43
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12
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40
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5
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+3
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Italy (26)
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42
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16
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31
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11
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+11
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Belgium (27)
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40
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25
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29
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6
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+11
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(iv) Eurozone countries (13): would you prefer to use (your previous currency) instead of the euro? % of respondents (selected countries)
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Yes
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No
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Don't know
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Balance (yes minus no)
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Average
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49
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47
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4
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+2
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Greece (1)
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70
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28
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2
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42
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Portugal (2)
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60
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31
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9
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29
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Germany (3)
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54
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44
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2
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10
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Spain (4)
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51
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46
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3
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5
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Austria (5)
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48
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46
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6
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2
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Netherlands (6)
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48
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43
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9
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5
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Italy (7)
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47
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47
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5
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0
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France (9)
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42
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55
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2
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-13
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Ireland (13)
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20
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77
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3
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-57
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(v) Non-eurozone countries (14): would you like to join the euro? % of respondents (selected countries)
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Yes
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No
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Don't know
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Balance (yes minus no)
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Average
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31
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60
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8
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-29
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|
|
|
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UK (1)
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19
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77
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3
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-58
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Poland (5)
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32
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58
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10
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-26
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Sweden (6)
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35
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58
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7
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-23
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Czech Republic (7)
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37
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59
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4
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-22
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Denmark (12)
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49
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47
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4
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+2
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Romania (14)
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45
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36
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19
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+9
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(vi) I am going to read out a list of suggestions about how the EU might be changed. Could you tell me which 2 are the most important? % of respondents (selected countries)
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Germany
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Spain
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France
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Italy
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UK
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Average
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Establish clear limits on the power of the EU.
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37 (7)
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18 (24)
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30 (14)
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16 (26)
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29 (15=)
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28
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Reducing the EU's trade barriers against poor countries.
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25 (14=)
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51 (1)
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20 (24)
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21 (23)
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24 (16=)
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27
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Turn the EU into just a simple free trade area, without political aims.
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14 (26=)
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39 (1)
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25 (9=)
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25 (9=)
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36 (2)
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25
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The EU should reduce the number of laws it passes.
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29 (6)
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14 (20=)
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19 (23=)
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13 (24)
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27 (8=)
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21
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Making it harder for a few countries to block new EU laws.
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31 (1)
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17 (11=)
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18 (10)
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14 (17=)
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13 (20=)
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19
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A single foreign minister for the EU.
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20 (5=)
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17 (8=)
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20 (5=)
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26 (2)
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9 (19=)
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17
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Allowing more countries to join the EU.
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11 (21=)
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20 (3)
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7 (24=)
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14 (13=)
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14 (13=)
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14
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Spend less on agriculture & more on other things.
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16 (7)
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8 (19=)
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18 (3=)
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8 (19=)
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13 (9=)
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12
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Don't know.
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1
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1
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3
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3
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4
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3
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None of these.
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3
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3
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6
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16
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8
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9
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The number in brackets indicates for each suggestion the member state's order in terms of frequency of response. Thus for "turning the EU into just a simple free trade area, without political aims", Spanish respondents quoted this more frequently than in any other member state. German respondents were equal 26th out of 27.
Source
Open Europe, press release, "First independent poll of all 27 member states released to coincide with Berlin summit", 23 March 2007. Details are on http://www.openeurope.org.uk/
RL April 2007
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