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Benefits of the single market are outweighed by the costs of implementing EU regulations, according to a new poll of UK-based CEOs.
The new ICM poll of 1,000 UK CEOs, commissioned by the British think tank Open Europe, finds that 60% of those surveyed would support a renegotiation of the existing treaties in order to reduce the EU's powers and roll it back to to a basic free-trade area.
52% of those polled agreed with the statement: "The EU is failing. Britain will be more prosperous and secure if we keep the pound and take back powers from the EU." Just 36% agree with the statement:"The EU is a success. Britain will be more prosperous and secure if we join the euro and give more powers to the EU."
Overall, 59% think that the burden of EU regulation is increasing, 35% think it is staying the same and just 4% think it is decreasing. This comes after Commissioner Verhuegen recently attacked his own staff for not doing enough to back his drive for better regulation, (see EurActiv 12 October).