Brussels:Two out of every three Europeans believe that the European Union should have a constitution and most favour the appointment of an EU Foreign Minister plus a full-time President of the European Council.
However, most remain ignorant of the outcome of the Convention on the Future of Europe that produced a draft constitutional treaty earlier this year.
The depth of ignorance was particularly marked in Britain where a full 83 per cent of respondents said they never heard of the Convention. But the figure for Ireland was not much better.
The poll found that only 30 per cent of Irish citizens have heard of the Convention, compared to an average of 39 per cent throughout the 25 present and future EU member-states. When asked about details of the draft constitution, however, Irish respondents knew more than most Europeans.
The findings come from a Eurobarometer poll published yesterday.
Fifty eight per cent of Irish citizens rejected the proposal to appoint an EU foreign minister, which is supported by most Europeans - and by the Government. Irish respondents were more enthusiastic about a full-time EU President, with 64 per cent in favour of the proposal, compared to an EU average of 58 per cent.
Sixty eight per cent of European citizens, including 70 per cent in Ireland, believe that the European Parliament should vote on every decision concerning the future of the EU. Although most Europeans have not heard of the Convention, a greater number are satisfied rather than dissatisfied with its work. The highest levels of support for a constitution are found in Italy, Hungary and Spain, with Slovenia, Poland, Lithuania and Britain showing most scepticism towards it.
Negotiations on the constitutional treaty, which are due to end in December, have made slow progress since they began last month. The 25 governments are divided on such issues as the future composition of the European Commission, the voting system in the Council of Ministers and proposals to abolish national vetoes in some policy areas.
Italy, which currently holds the EU Presidency, will next week present a compromise package to foreign ministers, who will discuss it during a two-day conclave in Naples at the end of this month. If EU leaders fail to agree on a final text when they meet in Brussels in December, Ireland will assume responsibility for making a deal during its six-month Presidency which begins in January.
Commission officials yesterday played down the significance of the fact that most Europeans have not heard of the Convention. They pointed out that, once the treaty is agreed, member-states will have up to two years to ratify it, providing ample time for citizens to study its provisions.
The Commission's chief spokesman, Mr Reijo Kemppinen said that the low level of interest was not a great surprise and suggested that the Convention had made more people aware of the issues than at a similar stage in the drafting of other EU treaties.
Only 47 per cent of Europeans intend to read the draft constitutional text, although Irish citizens showed a keener interest, with 71 per cent saying they will read at least a summary of it.