Brussels, 29/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - The special edition of Eurobarometer 2002 entitled "Information on Europe, European Union enlargement and accession to the Community project: it is up to the Fifteen to give their views" confirms that a majority of those taking part in the survey (on average 61%) are in favour of the EU and consider (62%) that belonging to the Union defends their national interests. Furthermore, when asked about the positive aspects of European integration, 44% on average cite single currency, while 52% are not able to spontaneously give any negative aspect.
This edition of Eurobarometer gives a large place to enlargement, and shows that 83% of those taking part in the survey on average do not feel they are well informed on the process (47% not well informed, 36% not informed "at all"). Only in Finland is the percentage of those who consider they are well informed equal to citizens who do not believe they are well informed. Regarding information sources on enlargement, 33% of those taking part say the television is their preferred source, 20% daily newspapers and 9% the radio, followed by other publications and magazines (7%), the Internet (just 1.5%) and the information offices on the European Union, the Euro-Info Centres, Euro-Info-Points and Euro-Libraries (0.4%). According to 48%, the current speed of the enlargement process is correct, while 16% are in favour of speeding it up and 15% in favour of slowing it down. Before the choice of three solutions - enlargement to some countries only, to all those who wish to join or to none at all - 44% choose the first, only 21% the second and 14% the third. In answer to questions on the consequences of enlargement, 67% of those questioned (but only less than one British national out of two) speak of "unifying the continent", 63% of strengthening Europe's political role, and 60% of guaranteeing peace in Europe (but in the Netherlands, only 44% agree on the last and 42% do not agree), only 54% believe in strengthened economic grown and just 29% in a positive impact on employment.
Regarding the personal knowledge of those taking part about candidate countries, 63% pointed out that they have not visited any of these countries (only four candidates reach or exceed the 10% mark: Turkey with 16%, the Czech Republic with 14%, Hungary 11% and Poland 10%), and over seven Europeans out of ten do not intend visiting any of the thirteen candidate countries in the next two years (here too, only Turkey exceeds the 10% mark, with 11%, and is followed by Cyprus and Malta, with 7% and 5%).