The issue of enlargement is widely believed to be nationally important among European Union citizens, according to a Eurobarometer survey.
The survey also claims the general support for EU membership has now risen to 60 per cent among candidate countries citizens.
Conducted in the 15 member states between September 11th and September 21st, 2002, the Eurobarometer survey questioned 15,088 EU citizens aged 15 or over in the member States about knowledge, attitudes, importance and consequences of enlargement.
According to the survey three in four EU citizens have heard of enlargement, although the level of knowledge varies from over 90 per cent in Austria, Denmark and Finland, to 51 per cent in Britain.
However, knowledge about which countries are candidates for accession is low, and clearly focused on three candidates : Poland, Turkey and the Czech Republic.
Attitudes towards enlargement show :
- 68 per cent are either totally or rather in favour of enlargement.
- 69 per cent think that it is important or very important for their country.
However, the survey also shows that three in four respondents believe decision-making will become more difficult, and 63 per cent say enlargement will be very costly for their own country.
The perception there will be large movements of people from the new to the old member states was particulary strong in Spain (82 per cent), Portugal (77 per cent), Luxembourg (76 per cent) and Greece (72 per cent).