Woodnewton Associates Communicating Europe Seminar hosted by Britain in the New Europe James Humphreys Woodnewton Associates June 2008

Woodnewton Associates This Seminar was held to explore the current state of the debate on the European Union in the UK and the context of public opinion

Woodnewton Associates Research

Woodnewton Associates Membership of the EU (1) Q) Generally speaking, do you think that (COUNTRY’S) membership of the European Union is EU27UK A good thing58%34% A bad thing13%28% Neither good nor bad25%31% Don’t know 4% 7% Lowest in EU27 (EUROBAROMETER, Autumn 07)

Woodnewton Associates Membership of the EU (2) Q) Taking everything into account, would you say that (COUNTRY) has on balance benefited or not from being a member of the European Union? EU27UK Benefited58%37% Not benefited29%47% Don’t know13%16% Joint lowest in EU27 (with Cyprus) Spring 07: 44% UK “benefited” (EUROBAROMETER, Autumn 07)

Woodnewton Associates Trust Q) For each of the following institutions, please tell me if you tend to trust it or tend not to trust it. EU27UK European Parliament55%25% European Commission50%22% European Union48%25% National Parliament35%34% National Government34%30% (EUROBAROMETER, Autumn 07)

Woodnewton Associates Influence Q) Please tell me for each statement, whether you tend to agree or tend to disagree…. % Tend to agree EU27UK (OUR COUNTRY’s) voice counts in the EU61%47% My voice counts in the EU30%17% (EUROBAROMETER, Autumn 07)

Woodnewton Associates People’s Concerns Unemployment Healthcare system Q) What do you think are the two most important issues facing (COUNTRY) at the moment? Rising prices / inflation Crime EU27UK (EUROBAROMETER, Autumn 07) Economic situation Immigration Pensions Terrorism Education system Taxation Housing Protecting environment Energy related issues Defence/foreign affairs

Woodnewton Associates National Government or Jointly with EU? % Jointly within EU % Nat Government Q For each of the following areas, do you think that the decisions should be made by the (NATIONAL) Government, or made jointly within the European Union? 6 Fighting inflation Education Fighting crime Pensions Taxation Economy Unemployment 5 Agriculture & fisheries Health and social welfare Defence & Foreign Affairs Fighting terrorism Environment Science and technological research Base: 2,362 TT adults, March - April 2008 Transport Support for regions facing economic difficulty Energy Competition Consumer Protection Immigration

Woodnewton Associates EU27UK EU Priorities Social issues The fight against crime Q) European integration has been focusing on various issues in the last three years. In your opinion, which aspects should be emphasised by the European institutions in the coming years to strengthen the European Union in the future? Environment issues Solidarity with poorer regions The Internal market Energy issues European foreign policy European education policy Scientific research European defence policy Immigration issues Cultural policy (EUROBAROMETER, Autumn 07)

Woodnewton Associates Analysis

Woodnewton Associates Analysis: Priorities UK public has clear set of social policy priorities: crime, immigration, terrorism, and so on These are very different from most of Europe: economy, employment, and so on (though growing economic uncertainty in the UK may be closing this gap) UK public priorities also don’t match those of the UK Government: Single Market, UK’s greatest ‘win’, only priority of 5% of the public But UK public is open to greater EU role in its priority areas: notably crime, terrorism, immigration, and environment UK public keener on co-operation in most of these areas than Government (terrorism, immigration)

Woodnewton Associates Analysis: Trust UK public has low levels of trust in EU, even allowing for general distrust of government and politics in UK and worldwide Low levels of trust usually associated with lack of understanding or familiarity But research also suggests that views on EU have firmed up So engagement with public is difficult: they don’t feel they understand EU, but do have firm views about it; and so are not that open to new information or persuasion

Woodnewton Associates Conclusions The research suggests that: –The public is mistrustful about the EU and direct ‘rebuttal’ tends to miss the point – fears about curly cucumbers are a symptom, not a cause, of mistrust –More productive approach would be to add to people’s knowledge, not challenge their preconceptions –In any case, the public is open to EU action in particular areas –So EU could engage more by changing the terrain of discussion: away from the single market and into environment, crime, consumers, etc –But a factual approach alone would not work; the EU would have to show it was on the side of ordinary people in the UK, as it to some extent it did in the 1980s/1990s –It also needs to challenge the perception of remoteness: for example, instead of shuttling from Brussels to Strasbourg, the Parliament could come to London or Birmingham