Project „The Future of Europe – Our Opinion Counts“
Interview guidelines
Section One: Competences
1.1. Should the EU have o policy aiming at economic and social cohesion between the member states?
*Yes - 30 *No – 0
1.2. Should the EU have a harmonised taxation policy?
*Yes - 30 *No - 0
follow - up questions: Should an „EU – tax“ replace national contributions to the EU-
budget?
*Yes - 20 *No – 10
1.3. Should agricultural policy remain an exclusive European competence“
*Yes - 18 *No – 12
Role of the EU
(very stron=1, no role=5, don´t know, don´t care=0)
1.4. Justice and Home Affairs (visa, asylum, immigration policy, Europol, ...)?
(1) - 22, (2) – 0, (3) – 6, (4) – 0, (5) - 2
follow-up question: Who should conduct this policy?
*Council – 6 *Commission – 24
1.5. Economic policy?
(1) - 12, (2) – 3, (3) – 10, (4) – 0, (5) - 5
follow-up question: Who should conduct this policy?
*Council – 7 *Commission – 28
1.6. European policy on employment?
(1) - 26, (2) – 0, (3) – 0, (4) – 0, (5) - 4
follow-up question: Who should conduct this policy?
*Council – 6 *Commission – 24
1.7. Social policy?
(1) - 13, (2) – 0, (3) – 5, (4) – 0, (5) – 12
1.8. Enviromental policy?
(1) - 21, (2) – 0, (3) – 0, (4) – 0, (5) – 9
Foreign and defence policy?
1.9. Who should conduct the EU´s foreign policy?
*Council – 5 *Commission – 7 *Both – 18
1.10. Who should be the EU´s „Foreign Minister“?
*Member/Vice-President of the Commission - 17
*Member/Secretary General of the Council - 13
1.11. Should the EP be involved in defining the EU´s foreign policy priorities?
*Yes - 26 *No – 4
1.12. Who should conduct the EU´s defence policy?
*Council – 3 *Commission – 6 *Both – 21
1.13. Does the EU need a “Defence Minister?
*Yes - 28 *No – 2
if yes – follow-up question: Who should it be?
*Representative from the Council - 7
*Representative from the Commission - 23
1.14. Should the EP be involved in defining the EU´s defence policy priorities?
*Yes - 28 *No – 2
1.15. Are you in favour of an “European Army?
*Yes - 23 *No – 7
1.16. Presently disputes regarding competences (e.g. subsidiarity) are handled by the
European Court of Justice. Should this situation remain?
*Yes - 30 *No – 0
it no – follow-up question: How should a new body dealing with competence matters
look like? Which representatives should it include?
Section Two: Democratisation and Institions
2.1. To which extent do you feel represented by the Institutions mentioned below?
(lowest=1; highest=5; don’t know, don’t care=0)
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [0]
The European Parliament 22 - - - - 8
The Council 20 - 6 - - 4
The Commission 24 - - - - 6
The European Council 26 - - - - 4
The European Court of Justice 4 2 - 6 18 -
The European Central Bank 22 - - - - 8
The European Parliament
2.2.The Council and the EP are the two law-making bodies. However currently the EP has less weight on a number of legislative issues and adopts only a part of the EU budget. Should the EP have equal decision rights with the Council on all matters?
*Yes - 23 *No - 7
The Council (of Ministers)
2.3.Currently the Presidency of the Council rotates among the member states (each member state holds it for 6 months). Should this rule be changed once there will be more member states?
*Yes – 3 *No - 27
if yes - follow-up question: Who should chair the meetings?
* an elected chair, chosen by each council formation or group (e.g. foreign affairs council,
environmental affairs council, COREPER, working groups, etc.) - 3
* council meetings should be chaired by elected chairs, other council groups (such as
COREPER and working groups) should be chaired by the commission representative, who
in any case has no right to vote - 0
if no -> follow-up question: Should the rotation period be 6 months or longer?
*Yes – 27 *No - 0
2.4. Currently the Council has both legislative functions ( = making laws) and executive ones
(= implementing policies). Should the Council give up this executive functions and be solely
a legislative body representing the member states?
*Yes - 19 *No - 11
2.5.Currently the meetings of the Council are not public and its minutes are secret. Should the Council meetings be public, when it meets as a legislative body and the minutes made available, as it is for the European Parliament?
*Yes - 26 *No - 4
2.6.Unanimity (all countries must agree) is required under certain issues in order to pass a law or to decide one concrete measure (e.g. most of the cases under the Common Foreign and Security Policy). In a Union of 25 it will become more difficult to reach an agreement. Should nevertheless the unanimity rule be maintained?
*Yes, as it is today 12
*Yes, for a reduced number of cases 16
*No, it should be abolished 2
European Commission
2.7. How should the President of the Commission be chosen?
*Elected by the European Parliament 19
*Appointed by the European Council 4
*Elected by a special body composed by 3
Members of the European Parliament and National Parliaments
*Directly elected by the citizens 4
2.8. How should the individual Commissioners be chosen?
*Appointed by the President of the Commission and approved by the EP 26
*Appointed by the Council 4
2.9. How many members should the Commission have?
*One per country 28
*Less than one per country, according to a rotation principle based on equality 2
*Less than one per country, not taking into account their nationality -
*One per country with a junior-/senior-Commissioner model -
2.10. Should the Commission be the EU´s exclusive executive body?
*Yes – 26 *No - 4
The European Council
2.11. The European Council is composed by the Heads of State or Government, the foreign affairs ministers and the President of the Commission. It meets 3 to 4 times per year and deliberates on broad policy guidelines. Should it become the collective Head of the European Union (i.e., like the President of Germany) holding general discussions of the overall development of the integration process, but refraining from any interference in the daily business of the Union and the legislative and budgetary procedures?
*Yes – 16 *No – 14
Section Three: Shape of the Union
3.1.In 2000 the EU has adopted a Charter of Fundamental Rights. Should this document become legal binding?
*Yes – 28 *No - 2
if yes -> follow up question: Should the Charter of Fundamental Rights become the preamble to a future “European Constitution”?
*Yes – 28 *No - 2
3.2.The EU is currently based on different Treaties (Euratom, EC, EU,…). Should this treaties be merged into one document?
*Yes - 21 *No - 9
if yes -> Should the three pillar-structure maintain or should all matters be decided according to the Community method (Working together of the three institutions Council, EP and Commission)?
*Yes – 3 *No - 18
if yes -> Should the constitutional provisions of the Treaties become a “European Constitution” (and the rest put in to an “operational treaty”)
*Yes – 18 *No - 3
3.3.The EU plans to include 10 new member states by 2004 and 2 more by 2007. Should the enlargement process continue beyond that, until all European countries which wish to do so have joined?
*Yes – 19 *No - 11
if yes -> Should also Russia be allowed to join the EU? *Yes – 1 *No - 18
if yes -> Should also Turkey be allowed to join the EU? *Yes – 0 *No - 19
Section Four: Changes to the Treaties and Ratifications / Procedures
4.1. Currently changes to the EU-treaties can only be adopted by an inter-governmental conference and must be ratified by all EU member states.
In a Europe of 25 this process becomes more and more difficult. Should the new “European constitution” enter into force, when ratified by
- all member states? - 6
- 2/3 of the member states? - 18
- more than the half of the member states? - 6
if not answer “all member states” -> If the “European constitution” is ratified only by a majority of states, those states not having ratified the treaty should
- nevertheless apply the treaty. - 18
- have the opportunity to leave the Union. - 10
- be offered a special status. - 2
4.2. Should a future “European constitution” be ratified by a Europe-wide referendum?
*Yes – 13 *No - 17
4.3.Should further changes to the future “European constitution” be adopted through the “convention method”?
*Yes - 12 *No - 18
