Citizens oppose Turkey’s accession to the Union

Date: 20/07/05

The majority of Europeans are against Turkey joining the EU, according to the latest €barometer opinion poll published on 18 July. It shows that 52% of respondents oppose Turkish membership.

In general, people in the ten new member states are more positive towards Turkish membership: 48% of them favour the country joining the EU compared to only 32% among the EU15.

Support is lowest in Austria where only 10% favour Turkish membership with the most enthusiastic being the Poles (54%). In France and Germany, 21% support Turkish membership while in the UK the figure rises to 45%. In Cyprus, the figure is 16%. Two-thirds of Turkish participants in the survey wanted to join the Union.

The findings were released on the day EU foreign ministers, meeting in Brussels, agreed to discuss the opening of membership talks for Turkey at an informal meeting on 1 September. Accession negotiations with Turkey are planned to start on 3 October.

The poll also shows that Europeans are growing more critical of the Union and sceptical about the EU's future. Support for belonging to the EU has fallen slightly by two points but this is offset by the rise in the perceived benefits of membership, which has risen by two points to 55%. But the EU's image continues to deteriorate (a fall of three points).

According to the Spring 2005 €barometer (Standard €barometer 63), published on 18 July and based on fieldwork during May and June 2005, the majority of Europeans were against Turkey joining the EU. The survey showed that 52% of respondents were opposing Turkish membership.

European Commissio: Public opinion: Standard €barometer 63, 18.7.05 http://ec.europa.eu/comm/public_opinion/archives/eb/eb63/eb63_en.htm

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