Public support for membership in applicant countries wanes

Date: 15/06/2000

By Chris Johnstone

WHILE it would be an exaggeration to say there has been a backlash against EU membership among citizens in the candidate countries, many are growing tired of the promises that the doors to the West will soon be thrown open and indignant about some of the conditions which could be set by the Union.

Surveys taken in all the front-line applicant countries show a majority still support membership. But the overwhelming backing which the project claimed a couple of years ago appears to be waning.

A poll by Polish research company Pentor in February found that 65% of people still favoured accession. But the detailed responses revealed some grounds for concern. While 91% said their attitude to Union entry had not changed in the last few years, two out of three of those who had switched sides were now against membership - and the majority of those in the pro-EU camp were lukewarm, rather than enthusiastic, about the idea.

This picture is repeated elsewhere. In the Czech Republic, an April poll by the IVVM institute showed 44% of people would vote for Union membership in a referendum, with 16% against.

The survey suggests the Czech public is mildly more enthusiastic about the project than in 1998, but less than in 1997, and those declaring themselves undecided has shot up.

Hungary exhibits more enthusiasm, with around 70% of those questioned in an April poll supporting membership. Significantly, Hungary has had - and looks set to continue to have - a smoother path to accession than its neighbours.

Governments across the region have taken steps to boost the tepid support for enlargement, acutely aware that referendums on accession could take place within three years and that some of the biggest arguments with the Union are still to come, with the most difficult chapters of negotiations now being tackled.

The Commission, the governments of existing member states and the candidate countries will have to strike a careful balance between seeking to win public backing for their stand in the negotiations and retaining overall support for enlargement.

The Polish government's decision to appoint Jacek Saryusz-Wolski as minister for European affairs in April reflected not only a recognition that administrative coordination of the dossier was a shambles but also that more needed to done to sell the EU 'dream' to the public.

The Czechs have also launched a government-sponsored campaign to improve knowledge of the Union this year. Foreign Minister Jan Kavan has admitted more needs to be done, with polls showing that only half the population has a superficial awareness of what the EU means and a third do not believe it has anything to do with them.