Flash Eurobarometer 140 (European Union enlargement)

Attitude towards the enlargement of the EU.<br>Topics: awareness of the enlargement of the European Union by May 2004; knowledge which countries will join; personal visits to the new member states; assessment of the readiness of the EU for the enlargement; most important aspects to cope with the enlargement; attitude towards selected statements on the political impact of the enlargement of the European Union: will reduce risks of war and conflicts in Europe, moral duty to reunite Europe after the Cold War, stronger influence of the EU on a global level, expensive for the own country, less important role of the own country in Europe, more difficult to take decisions on EU level, loss of contact to citizens, justified due to historical and geographical reasons; attitude towards the following statements on the impact of the enlargement of the European Union: opening of new markets, settling of citizens from other member states in the own country, easier control of illegal immigration, more difficult to tackle crime and drug smuggling, easier to tackle environmental problems, increase of unemployment in the own country, falling standard of social welfare in the own country, expansion of the agricultural sector of the own country to new markets, cultural enrichment; attitude towards models of enlargement: acceptance of more than the 13 current candidate countries, agreement on the final borders of the EU before any further enlargement, development of an alternative relationship. Demography: sex; age; age at end of education; occupation; professional position; region; type of community. Additionally coded was: country; weighting factor.