Romano Prodi

December 9, 2003
No. 74/03

Preliminary results of the latest Eurobarometer opinion poll reveal that support a new EU Constitution remains steady at 62 percent, with only 10 percent against.  

Support for a common foreign policy and a common defense and security policy remains strong, though down slightly since the spring survey. Those in favor vastly outnumber those against. A majority supports the concept that decisions on European defense policy and foreign policy should be taken at EU level.  

Citizens continue to back the idea of a rapid reaction force, a common EU policy at times of crisis independent from the US—a European Foreign Minister, an EU seat on the UN Security Council and a common EU immigration and asylum policy. They also look to the EU to guarantee human rights both at home and abroad.  

The Eurobarometer survey was carried out in the 15 current member states between October 1-November 7, 2003. The survey questioned 16,082 people over the age of 15 about their attitudes to the EU and other issues of current political and social interest. The final results will be available in February 2004. 

Among the other preliminary findings, the latest Eurobarometer (60) shows: 

• support for enlargement also remains steady (at 47 percent) although there are marked differences among the member states.
• support for the euro in the 12 euro-zone countries remains high at 70 percent (down 5 points).
• support for EU membership. Against a decline in confidence in public institutions in general, respondents (48%) mostly feel their country's membership of the EU is a "good thing," outnumbering those (15%) who do not by more than three-to-one. Forty-one percent expressed trust in the EU institutions. (Percentages vary by member state).

European Commission President Romano Prodi urged EU Heads of State and Government to take the preliminary findings on board when they meet this week for the European Council. "I hope that EU leaders will take due note of the results of this poll when they sit down later this week to conclude negotiations on the Constitutional Treaty. What we should aim for is an agreement which can meet the very real concerns of ordinary people."