10/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - Free trade - public opinion in the large member states supports increase in customs duties towards emerging countries. A survey carried out by the French market research institute IFOP in June for the group of university lecturers and economists Manifeste pour an débat sur le libre-échange, published in mid-September reveals that, just as in France, a large majority of citizens (more than 65%) in Germany, Spain and Italy is against lower customs rates on goods imported from emerging economies like China and India. In the United Kingdom, only 50% are against reduced duties. With the exception of the British, between 60% and 65% of the citizens of these five member states believe an increase in these duties is required. A majority of Germans, Spaniards, French and Italians believe that the right way is to impose these higher customs duties on entry to the European Union, rather than on entry to an individual member state. In the event of a refusal by European partners to increase customs duties on emerging countries' products, then they are joined by the British in taking the view that the increase should be made on entry to the member state (between 56% and 64% take this view). Increasing taxes on the major emerging countries would, citizens feel, be good for industry, employment and economic growth. (EH/transl.rt)