EU Barometer shows Cypriots as privileged amongst candidate countries
19/3/2002 9:49
The full results of the first Eurobarometer opinion survey carried out in the 13 candidate countries for EU membership are published on the 18 March 2002 by the European Commission. This survey was conducted in October 2001 among more than 12,000 citizens from the 13 candidate countries. The wide range of subjects covered includes satisfaction with life, economic prospects, national pride and European identity, language skills, media habits and lifestyle issues as well as the EU enlargement process itself.
This survey is very broad, and covers a large number of different questions. Conclusions of particular interest include the following :
· On average, the public of the candidate countries would like to be European Union citizens by the year of 2004. Two thirds of the public in the candidate countries consider that membership of their country to the European Union is 'natural', historically and geographically justified (65%).
· While the negotiations have been deciding the details of accession, the past years have witnessed an increasing constant process of citizens getting to know each other: despite their widespread fluency in a tongue other than their own, many citizens of the candidate countries are learning languages of the EU Member States; many are visiting the EU Member States, with 74% of teenage or adult Slovenes, 53% of Czechs and 52% of Cypriots having visited an EU Member State over the past 2 years.
· The people living in the candidate countries generally tend to feel positive as to how their personal situation will develop in the course of the next 5 years, although less optimistic than EU citizens. 37% of those questioned believe their personal situation will improve, 26% feel that their personal situation will stay about the same, and 26% believe it will get worse.
Concerning Cyprus, the survey showed that its citizens enjoy a high standard of living amongst candidate countries, with 57% of Cypriots owning at least two cars, 58% own a mobile telephone, 57% speak fluent English, the second highest from all the candidate countries. Cyprus had the highest percentage of citizens believing that accession to the EU will benefit them professionally.
This survey is very broad, and covers a large number of different questions. Conclusions of particular interest include the following :
· On average, the public of the candidate countries would like to be European Union citizens by the year of 2004. Two thirds of the public in the candidate countries consider that membership of their country to the European Union is 'natural', historically and geographically justified (65%).
· While the negotiations have been deciding the details of accession, the past years have witnessed an increasing constant process of citizens getting to know each other: despite their widespread fluency in a tongue other than their own, many citizens of the candidate countries are learning languages of the EU Member States; many are visiting the EU Member States, with 74% of teenage or adult Slovenes, 53% of Czechs and 52% of Cypriots having visited an EU Member State over the past 2 years.
· The people living in the candidate countries generally tend to feel positive as to how their personal situation will develop in the course of the next 5 years, although less optimistic than EU citizens. 37% of those questioned believe their personal situation will improve, 26% feel that their personal situation will stay about the same, and 26% believe it will get worse.
Concerning Cyprus, the survey showed that its citizens enjoy a high standard of living amongst candidate countries, with 57% of Cypriots owning at least two cars, 58% own a mobile telephone, 57% speak fluent English, the second highest from all the candidate countries. Cyprus had the highest percentage of citizens believing that accession to the EU will benefit them professionally.
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