2.      Survey

    The survey on key issues of the Future of Europe debate was carried out by all partner countries, based on interviews with personalities from public life. It concentrated on opinion leaders from different social groups (elected representatives, journalists, academics, youth leaders, social partners, NGO representatives, etc.).

Approximately 300 persons have been questioned. Therefore this report cannot be considered as representative but should be understood as a collection of atmospheric descriptions from each of the countries.

The questionaire was elaborated by the Austrian Society for European Politics, which is an expert in Austria on carrying out surveys on European topics. The questionnaire was distributed to all partners in the participating countries, who made the interviews. They returned the results to the Austrian Society for European Politics, which made the final report by evaluating the results and summarizing the national reports. 

Survey carried out in Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia

Representation by EU institutions 

Although answers to the question “To which extent do you feel represented by the EU institutions” were very different from country to country one could conclude that people felt most represented by the European Parliament (EP) and the European Court of Justice. The Council of Ministers, the European Council and the European Central Bank were mostly found at the end of this list.

Equal decision rights for the EP

Ranging from a relative majority to over 80% people in the survey supported that the EP should have equal decision rights with the Council on all legislative matters.

Presidency of the Council 

A majority of countries favoured maintaining the present rotation system and supported changes in terms of the duration of the presidency and in the number of countries carrying out the presidency (“team presidency”).

In Bulgaria, Poland and Slovakia a majority ranging from 60 to 90% supported maintaining the present presidency system.

Council as exclusive legislative body 

The sample’s opinion was very unclear about the question whether the Council should give up its executive functions and be solely a legislative body. Whereas the samples in Slovenia, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania stood for the preservation of the status quo (60-71%), the Czech, Austrian, Italian and Slovak sample wanted the Council to become solely a legislative body (63,3-66,7%). In Hungary only a close majority wanted the Council to give up its executive functions.

Publicity of Council meetings 

In contrast to the previous question, the samples of all surveyed countries clearly supported (63-86,7%) that the meetings of the Council should become public.

Unanimity 

Again, in the question of unanimity the samples in the countries expressed a clear opinion in favour of reducing the number of cases where unanimity is applied (44-86,7%). The biggest group of those who wanted unanimity to be abolished at all could be found in Italy (50%) and Poland (42%). Maintenance of the present unanimity situation was supported mostly in Slovakia (40%) and the least in Austria (0%).

Commission as exclusive executive body 

The idea of the Commission becoming the EU´s exclusive executive body was supported in the Czech Republic, Romania, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria and Slovakia (majorities ranged from 43-86,7%). Samples in Poland (56%) and Slovenia (60%) were against this idea.

Number of Commissioners 

A majority of countries wanted that the Commission will have one member per country also after enlargement. Majorities in these countries ranged from 41-93%. Only in Slovenia a majority supported less than one Commissioner per country, according to a rotation principle based on equality. The group which supported this option was also very big in Austria (41%).

Appointment of the President of the Commission 

There was no doubt that the President of the Commission in the future should be elected by the EP. Only in Poland a majority supported a direct election by the citizens.

Appointment of the Commissioners 

All country samples supported the appointment of the individual Commissioners by the President of the Commission with a later approval by the EP.

Role of the European Council 

Again, each surveyed country supported the idea that the European Council should become the collective head of the Union holding general discussions on the overall development of the integration process, but refrain from interfering in the Union’s daily business or any legislative procedures (majorities ranged from 53-76%).

Economic and social cohesion 

An overwhelming majority in all questioned countries stood for a policy aiming at economic and social cohesion between the member states for the EU.

Harmonisation of taxation policies 

Between 64 and 100% in the country samples wanted the EU to have the competence for the harmonisation of member states taxation policies.

European tax 

Except the case of Hungary (56% “no”), each country wanted an “EU tax” to replace the national contributions to the EU budget (“yes” majorities ranged from 52% in Austria to 90% in Poland). Slovenia was undecided.

Agriculture 

Whereas the samples in Bulgaria, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Romania, Austria, Italy, Hungary and Greece were in favour of the Common Agricultural Policy to remain an exclusive European competence, the Polish sample was divided (40 “yes”, 40 “no”).

EU´s role in certain policy areas 

In contrast to the very diverse answers regarding the Union’s influence in certain policy areas, it was clear for each country that the Commission should be the most important player in all this policies. It could be concluded, however, that people wished a strong EU influence in Environmental policy, Justice and Home Affairs. Economic, Employment and Social policy were the areas where the questioned people wished a weak EU influence.

EU´s foreign policy 

Whereas the Czech sample thought that the EU´s foreign policy should be conducted by the Commission and the Hungarian sample couldn’t decide for one option, all other country samples supported the claim that this policy should be carried out by the Council and the Commission together.

Following the opinion of all, apart from one country sample, a future EU Foreign Minister should be a member of the Commission. Only the

Romanian sample favoured him to be a member of the Council. Hungary was again undecided.

A clear majority ranging from 76,5% in Austria to 100% in Slovenia was in favour of the EP´s involvement in defining the EU´s foreign policy priorities.

    EU´s defence policy     

A diverse opinion was found on the question of who should conduct EU´s defence policy. The Czech sample favoured the Council, the Slovenian the Commission and Poland, Romania, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria and Slovakia wanted both institutions to carry out the defence policy.

A European Defence Minister was only rejected in Slovenia and Poland. Whereas the samples in Romania wanted this future minister to be a member of the Council, the Czech, Austrian, Italian, Hungarian, Bulgarian and Slovak sample wanted him to be a member of the Commission.

As in the case of foreign policy, people overwhelmingly wished the EP to be also involved in defining the EU´s defence policy priorities.

    European Army 

A European Army was only rejected in Poland with 70% of the sample. The support in the other surveyed countries ranged from 60% in Slovenia to 82% in Austria.

    European Court of Justice 

There’s no doubt in any of the questioned sample that the ECJ should remain the body which handles disputes regarding the distribution of competencies between the EU and the Member States.

Charter of Fundamental Rights (CFR) 

All but one country wished the CFR to become a legally binding part of a future European “constitution”. A 57% majority in Romania rejected this idea. The supporter’s percentage reached from 79% in Bulgaria to 100% in Slovenia, Austria and Italy.

All countries, except Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, wished the CFR to become a preamble to a future European “constitution”.

    Structure of the treaties 

Very big majorities ranging from 70% in Slovakia to 100% in Greece supported the idea to merge the different treaties establishing the Communities and the Union.

European “constitution”        

An overwhelming majority supported the creation of a future European “constitution” (from 73% in Slovenia to 86% in Romania, Austria and Slovakia, 87% in Bulgaria and 88% in Hungary).

Decision making 

All but one country wanted the community method to become the only decision making modus in the future constitutional treaty (from 60% in Slovenia to 90% in Poland). Only in Romania a majority of 57% supported the three pillar structure for the future. Hungary was again undecided.

Further Enlargement after 2007        

All country samples supported further enlargement after the supposed accession of Romania and Bulgaria in 2007. The biggest support could be seen in Greece and Hungary (80%), the least in Slovenia (53, 3%). The largest group of opponents was seen in Slovakia (37%) and Austria (30%).

EU-membership of Turkey and Russia        

Membership of Turkey was favoured in Hungary (44%), Slovenia (46%), Bulgaria (54%), Poland (70%), Romania (67%), Austria (64%) and Italy. It was rejected, however, in Greece (65%) and Slovakia (100%).

The EU-membership of Russia was only favoured in Italy and Romania. Biggest opponents were Slovakia (95%) and Poland (80%). 

Ratification of the constitutional treaty 

All samples except Slovak and Polish wanted that a future European “constitution” would be ratified by all Member States in order to become effective. 60% of the sample in Slovakia and 40% in Poland thought that the ratification by two thirds of the Member States would be enough.

Europe-wide constitutional referendum 

A Europe-wide constitutional referendum was rejected in Hungary (64%), Austria (53%) and Slovakia (57%). In Greece and Slovenia the opinion is precisely balanced. With 80% Romania showed the strongest support for such a referendum.

Future of the convention method 

The idea of a convention conducting further changes to a European “constitution” was only rejected in Slovakia. In Poland the percentage was 50/50.