Eurobarometer: EU citizens want common foreign policy, have negative attitudes on US

Background

Regarding the US' "war on terrorism", 54 per cent of Europeans are supportive of Washington's role, and only 28 per cent consider it negative. In other areas, EU citizens appear overwhelmingly critical of the US:

• fight against poverty in the world: 49 per cent think US is an obstacle;
• protection of the environment: 57 per cent believe the US plays a negative role;
• global impact of US economic policy: 38 per cent positive against 34 per cent negative.

Overall, 67 per cent of Europeans would support the forging of common foreign policy by the EU Member States, 3 per cent more than in the spring of 2002. Support is highest in Italy (80 per cent), Greece (79 per cent) and Luxembourg (78 per cent). In Belgium the result was 70 per cent. In 9 of the 15 Member States, the public is increasingly in favour of the Union creating and pursuing common foreign policies. The survey also found that 55 per cent of citizens believe that their country's membership of the EU is a good thing.

The Eurobarometer survey is conducted twice a year by the Commission. The latest survey polled 1,000 people in each EU Member State in October and November 2002.