Eurobarometer 50.0 (Oct-Nov 1998)

The main focus of this Eurobarometer is:
1. political attitudes and questions on the European Union
2. attitude to the common currency
3. attitude to the European Parliament
4. radioactive wastes
Topics:
1. political attitudes and questions on the European Union:
nationality (multiple responses possible);
native language,
knowledge of foreign languages and assessment of the two most useful
languages besides one´s own native language;
interest in politics;
personal opinion leadership;
future expectations in the areas of economic situation of the country,
one´s own financial situation, employment situation in the country,
personal employment situation and life in general;
self-assessment of extent to which informed about the EU,
its policies and institutions;
media usage;
desire for more information about the EU;
adequate reporting about matters of the EU in the individual media;
judgement on EU reporting of national media;
sources of information used or information channels about the EU,
its policies and institutions;
preferred means of information about the EU;
willingness to invest time or money for the purpose of gathering information
on the EU;
judgement on the membership of the country in the EU;
advantageousness of this membership;
regret of a hypothetical dissolution of the EU;
assessment of the current speed of integration of Europe and preferred speed;
judgement on the unification progress achieved so far since the start of the
integration process 50 years ago;
actually expected as well as desired significance of the European Union
in the next century for daily life of respondent;
most important problems to be solved by the EU member countries in common;
in the near future expected personal identity as European citizen
or national citizen;
assumed European cultural identity.
2. Euro:
attitude to introduction on one day or gradual conversion to the Euro;
knowledge about the name of the future common European currency: Euro;
knowledge test about the introduction and use of the Euro (scale);
expected effects of the introduction of the Euro (scale);
self-assessment of extent to which informed about the Euro;
desired sources of information or information channels about the Euro and
the currency conversion;
sources of information already used or information channels about the Euro;
attitude to a common European currency, foreign policy and defense policy;
attitude to a European Central bank independent of the member countries or
responsible to the European Parliament;
attitude to responsibility of the EU for matters that cannnot effectively be
solved on national, regional and local level;
attitude to support of the president and the members of the European Commission
by a majority of the European Parliament;
attitude to school instruction about the work of the European institutions;
attitude to a subsidy for European film and television productions;
preference for national or European decision power
regarding selected political areas;
desired priorities in EU policies, such as e.g. acceptance of new
member countries, populism of the EU, successful introduction of the Euro,
fight against poverty, environmental protection, consumer protection,
fighting unemployment, reform of EU institutions, securing peace and
protection of the personality rights and democratic principles in Europe;
preferred new EU member countries;
criteria for acceptance of new countries;
concerns in connection with expansion of the EU through new member countries.
3. European Parliament:
perception of reporting about the European Parliament in the media;
the significance of the European Parliament for the EU;
desire for strengthening of the European Parliament;
election participation at the last European Election and intent to participate
in the coming election to the European Parliament;
assessment of the representation of interests of the European citizens
by the European Parliament;
most important interests that should be represented by the European Parliament.
4. Radioactive wastes:
self-assessment of extent to which informed about radioactive wastes;
assumed country which produces the greatest amount of radioactive waste;
assumed per person annual production of radioactive waste in the EU;
nuclear power plants, industry and hospitals as producers of radioactive waste;
assessment of the dangerousness of radioactive waste;
fears regarding dealing with radioactive waste in one´s country, in the other
EU countries and in European countries;
assumed disposal procedures for radioactive waste in one´s country;
attitude to storing, reprocessing and accepting radioactive waste from other
EU countries;
preference for construction of fewer underground garbage disposal sites with
right to access for paying EU countries or
for garbage disposal sites belonging to each country;
attitude to the necessity of participation by citizens and
experts in construction of underground garbage disposal sites;
responsibility of current or future generations for
disposal of the radioactive waste of nuclear power plants;
interpreting the countries´ inability to decide regarding dealing with
radioactive waste as a sign that there is no safe way of waste disposal,
that this leads to a poor image for radioactive waste, that
it is difficult and politically unpopular to make such decisions, or
that all possibilities and risks must be considered before making a decision;
perceived security regarding the law about treatment of radioactive waste
passed by the EU;
preferred minimum distance of one´s own residence from radioactive waste;
concern about the security of the transport of waste;
concern about the effect of a disposal site on health and
on the environment in the vicinity of the disposal site;
concern about the long-term security of a disposal site and the loss in value
for property or houses given a hypothetical disposal site close to home;
interest in easier access to information about dealing with radioactive waste
in one´s country and in other EU countries and preferred sources of information.
In Austria the following was additionally asked:
knowledge and significance of the presidency of Austria
in the council of ministers of the EU.
Demography:
self-classification on a left-right continuum;
marital status;
age at conclusion of school education;
sex;
age;
size of household;
number of children in household;
current professional position;
head of household;
primary earner in household and his occupation;
degree of urbanization;
religious affiliation;
frequency of church attendance;
household income.
Also encoded was:
date of interview;
time of start of interview;
length of interview;
number of persons present during interview;
willingness of respondent to cooperate;
city size;
region;
possession of a telephone;
interview language.