Brussels, 09/11/2001 (Agence Europe) - Young people in the EU show low levels of participation in clubs and societies, make increasing use of the new information and communications technologies, want independence in a secure environment and support European integration. These are the finding of the special Eurobarometer survey of 10,000 young Europeans between the ages of 15 and 24, carried out in April and May 2001 at the request of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Education and Culture. The survey also gauged the opinions of young people on the big issues affecting today's society, such as the integration of foreigners, sexuality and cloning.
Published at the same time as the Commission is preparing a White Paper on Youth Policy, the Eurobarometer records increasing use of new information and communications technologies (ICT) but with wide differences between different Member States. Mobile phones (at 80%) top the list of new technologies used by young people at least once a week, with very little variation between Member States. Next comes the personal computer (56% compared with 43% in 1997), the use of which differs significantly between young people in the Netherlands (87%) and those in Greece (41%). Weekly use of a PC is below the European average in the United Kingdom (48%), Germany (52%, and 48% in the new Länder), Portugal (50%), Ireland (53 %), Italy (54%) and France (55%). Use of the Internet (37% compared with 7% in 1997) and email (31% compared with 5% in 1997) are two areas in which the disparities between Member States are even more striking, being very widely used in the Netherlands (76% for the Internet and 69% for e-mail) and in the northern countries of the EU (74% and 67% in Sweden, for example), and much less so in Greece (20% for the Internet and 12% for email).
Young people are far less attracted by participation in clubs and societies with half of them not belonging to any organisation or association. According to the Commission, however, this low level of interest, which has remained unchanged since 1997, should not be attributed to inability by young people to get involved. Sports clubs constitute the only noteworthy exception to this rule: 28% of the young people interviewed said they belonged to or participated in the activities of a sports club. Religious associations trail a long way behind (8% on average, followed by youth clubs (7%), special interest clubs (7%) and cultural associations (6%). Only 2% of young people belong to human rights organisations and 4% are members of political parties or trade unions. Not surprisingly, the Eurobarometer shows that the preferred activities of young Europeans are socialising with friends (74%), watching television (69%) and listening to music (66%). Reading lags a long way behind, mentioned by 40% of those questioned.
26% of young people consider school to be an important way of participating in society, ahead of family and friends (20%). This trend, however, is reversed in three Member States: Austria, Germany and Italy. 46% of young Europeans wish to be consulted by their Governments before decisions are taken which directly affect them. 45% want more information campaigns to be aimed specifically at them. They also wanted citizenship education programmes in schools, and schemes to encourage voluntary activities. As for Europe, most young people see it as "an opportunity to "go where I want" - this percentage varied greatly between Member States: from 50% for young Austrians to 18% in Britain. In joint second place come the idea of a "European Government", mentioned by 31% of those asked (26% in 1997), and the prospect of an improved economic environment. Young people in the Netherlands (50%), Spain (41%) and Belgium (38%) believe the EU's main role is as a basis for a European Government. 48% of young people said that the single currency is EU's most significant achievement over the last ten years (compared with 42% in 1997). Young people in the Netherlands (68%) and Belgium (64%) were the most positive on this issue.
The survey looked into the reasons why young people are now tending to leave their family homes later. Not surprisingly, material difficulties came out on top (67%), followed by personal considerations such as "I want home comforts without the responsibility" (37%) and the desire "to save up in order to make a good start later" (32%). In looking for jobs, young people look for stability (18%) and good pay (18%) above all else. Job security comes top of the list in Portugal (31%), France (23%) and Italy (22%), whilst pay is the deciding factor in Ireland (28%), the United Kingdom (22%) and Spain (21%). Just over half of young Europeans between the ages of 15 and 24 (52%) said that they get the majority of their income from their parents or other members of the family, a figure which has seen a seven-point increase since 1997.
Although these are mainly students, it is significant that 20% of young people with jobs also said their parents were the principal source of their income. 35% of the young people questioned said that their main source of income came from a regular job.
Asked about other issues, 29% of those interviewed think there are too many foreigners in their country (8% think there are not many foreigners, and 7% think there is room for more). 27% of respondents think that foreigners who have settled in their country should have the same rights as that country's nationals. The results showed that attitudes in the Scandinavian countries, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Spain were the least hostile to foreigners, and those in Greece the most hostile. 59% of young people over 18 think that their generation believes homosexuals should have the right to marry (seven points more than in 1997), but that people of their age are more reticent about homosexual couples adopting children (41% compared with 36% en 1997). Young people in Greece, Italy and Ireland seem to be the least in favour of homosexual marriage (38%, 39% and 44% respectively). Young adults are for the most part in favour of euthanasia (54%, an increase of five points since 1997); this practice is widely accepted in the Netherlands (80%), Belgium (72%) and Denmark (71%). The number of respondents believing their generation to be in favour of the death penalty has fallen drastically since 1997, from 36% to 27%. Young people continue to feel reticent about human cloning, only 12% (9% in 1997) of young people interviewed believe their generation to be in favour of it.