Some interesting facts about the EU

Recent surveys by Eurostat show these results (slovak results were among the EU consensus)






  • Multinationals benefit most from globalisation according to 87% of EU citizens
    Multinationals, financial markets, the European Union, the United States, Japan, China,
    developing countries, consumers all benefit from globalisation according to a majority of
    EU citizens. However, farmers and small and medium sized companies seem to lose out.

  • Over three in four citizens in the European Union have heard of globalisation
    Awareness of the concept of globalisation seems to be high in most Member States.
    However, in Luxembourg and the United Kingdom, close to two in five respondents
    have not heard of it.

  • 63% of citizens are in favour of the development of globalisation
    Citizens support globalisation in each Member State with the exception of Greece where
    a majority are opposed.

  • Over two in five respondents believe that the Single Market and their domestic
    economy is sufficiently open to the needs of international trade

  • 43% of respondents believing that their country’s economy is too open also believe that
    the European Union is too liberal. However, respondents are more critical of their
    country’s level of protectionism as 43% of those who believe that their country’s economy
    is too closed believe on the other hand that the European Union is neither too
    protectionist nor too liberal.

  • Over one in two citizens are optimistic about their personal future and that of home
    economy should globalisation intensify

  • France, Greece and Belgium are the only Member States where a majority are
    pessimistic about their personal future and the economic impact on their country should
    globalisation intensify. In France and Belgium, respondents are in favour of the concept
    of globalisation in general but when asked for their views on the consequences at a level
    that is closer to themselves, they are more critical. Positive perceptions on a personal and
    economic level go hand-in-hand. 75% of respondents believing that they would gain on a
    personal level should globalisation intensify are also optimistic about the economic
    impact.

  • 62% of citizens believe in the effectiveness of controlling globalisation and 56% are
    calling for regulation to be stepped-up

  • In most Member States a majority of citizens believe in the regulation of globalisation.
    Respondents in Denmark and Luxembourg are least convinced of the effectiveness of
    regulation with respectively 59% and 52% indicating that they believe that globalisation
    cannot be effectively controlled.

  • Three in four European Union citizens believe that the United States exercises too
    much influence on globalisation

  • 37% of citizens believe that the European Union has a suitable level of influence on the
    process of globalisation. According to a majority of citizens the United States,
    multinationals and financial circles seem to exercise too much influence - a fact that is
    compounded by the low level of trust EU citizens place in these players. Consumer
    associations, however, are well placed to increase their level of influence on the process
    of globalisation.

  • 79% of citizens believe that anti or alter-globalist movements raise points that
    deserve to be debated

  • In each Member State a majority of respondents believe that anti or alter-globalist
    movements raise points that deserve to be debated. However, such movements are seen
    to be lacking in their ability to change its development.

  • 58% of citizens support the European Commission in its role as negotiator on
    international trade issues

  • Finland and the United Kingdom are the only two countries where a majority of
    respondents believe that the European Commission cannot sufficiently account for the
    interests of their country.

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