Brussels, 26/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - Increasing political and economic integration and engaging in a constructive dialogue with European citizens: these are the ways forward suggested by young Europeans to take Europe out of the current crisis, a survey - though unscientific - by think tank FutureLab Europe reveals. The survey, “One passport, one people? The role of democratic citizenship in building a new Europe”, sought the views of 593 young European graduates aged between 20 and 35. Respondents showed a desire for working together in seeking solutions to the crisis. This was just as true for those from the older member states (EU15), as those from the newer member states or, indeed, non-EU countries.
Of those surveyed, 45%said that more sovereignty should be ceded to European bodies and that only radical measures, such as putting in place European economic government or issuing eurobonds, could lift Europe out of the sovereign debt crisis. Of the young people surveyed, 17% however believed that it was national governments that were best placed to manage the crisis and that they had to be given greater freedom of movement. Of those questioned, 13% did not feel concerned by the situation and 14% highlighted a fundamental problem underlying the crisis: the terrible lack of democratic legitimacy at both European and national levels.
The survey discovered a strong feeling of European identity among young people, compared with the older generation: 56% of those surveyed said they would prefer to hold a European passport rather than a national or regional one. This sentiment was strongest in the newer EU countries (63%) and the non-EU countries.
Europe should make efforts to consult its citizens more on fundamental issues, a move that would enrich the European decision-making process, the report argued. The idea of a “modern platform” where European citizens could post suggestions and petitions for the European institutions received wide support, with backing from 54% of those surveys, rising to 62% in non-EU countries. Proposals for a biannual “European questionnaire”, conducted by local authorities, or for a “national consultation” with representatives of the European Commission and the European Parliament were much less well received, attracting the support of only 12% and 18% of those surveyed respectively.
The report of the findings of the survey was presented to Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström at the first FutureLab Europe Europe@debate on Monday 26 March. (SD/transl.rt)