The new Ecfr report, “The Transformative Five: A New Role for the Frugals after the EU Recovery Deal” prepared by Susi Dennison and Pawel Zerka, and based on surveys, as well as in France, Germany and Poland, in the five EU states defined as frugal: Austria, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden. It emerges that the concerns related to the Recovery Fund are not limited solely to costs but, rather, to the behavior of the beneficiary countries. The poll suggests that these fears are making some citizens hostile in a time of collective need, and that they are affecting how they view the European project.
While there is still strong support for the EU, its core principles and leadership on global issues (including trade, defense and international security), over 40% of respondents across the eight countries have concerns about the influence of own country within the community, with nearly half the citizens in Finland (48%) and sizable minorities in Sweden (43%), the Netherlands (43%), Austria (38%) and Denmark (38%), which they believe their country’s influence in the EU has diminished over the past 2-3 years. Of the eight countries surveyed by the ECFR, Germany is the only one where the largest number of people believe their country’s influence has increased (39%) rather than decreased (35%). The prevailing opinion in Poland (51%) and France (37%) is that their country’s influence has decreased.
In particular, the authors of the survey found that: The accusation of “thrift”, launched against the governments of Austria, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden, is out of place. The ECFR survey found that nearly 8 out of 10 respondents from these countries reject the claim that “the EU spends too much money”. Among the “frugal” countries, Finland (24%) and the Netherlands (24%) are the countries where this concern is strongest; and shared by 22% in Denmark, 20% in Sweden and 20% in Austria. In addition to the so-called “frugal” states, only 10% in Poland and 17% in France share this statement. If this is the measure of “thrift”, then it is actually stronger in Germany, where it is still shared by only one in four respondents (26%).The main concern of citizens, in the context of EU funding, is centered on waste and corruption in the beneficiary countries. 38% of the respondents in the “Frugal Five” believe this to be a problem. This concern is more pronounced in Austria, where almost half of the interviewees (48%) agree on the existence of this risk; and also shared by large minorities in Sweden (38%) and the Netherlands (38%). In the other countries surveyed, it is also identified as a major problem, with 37% in Germany, 33% in France and 30% in Poland agreeing that such a risk exists. There is a strong attachment to the key benefits of EU membership.When asked which interests of their own country the EU promotes the most, respondents in the five “thrifty” countries answered in this order: the freedom to live and work in other countries (32%); the benefits of the single market (27%); cooperation on security, justice and terrorism (24%); protection from wars and conflicts (20%) and export promotion (20%). This suggests that the value of EU membership in the countries surveyed, contrary to stereotypes, goes far beyond the economy. This response is widely shared in France, Germany and Poland. “Tackling Climate Change” also scores highly and ranks fourth on the “Weimar” list of states, with about 1 in 5 respondents appreciating this work.Overall, there are mixed feelings about the EU-agreed Recovery Fund. When asked what the main opinion was regarding the Recovery Fund, respondents in frugal countries said equally optimism (22%) and concern (22%). But negative emotions (worry, anger and frustration) outweighed the positive ones, accounting for 40% of the responses. Those with the most negative views on the Recovery Fund are found in Finland (50%), the Netherlands (43%) and Austria (42%). By comparison, only 17% of Poles, as well as 35% of French and 37% of Germans have negative feelings about the Recovery Fund. Citizens are concerned about the direction of the EU and the influence of their country within the community.As stated above, over 4 out of 10 respondents in the ECFR survey in the five “thrifty” countries believe that their country’s influence in the EU has declined in recent years. This feeling is widely shared in Finland (48%), the Netherlands (43%) and Sweden (43%), as well as Denmark (38%), Austria (38%), France (37%) and Poland (51%). However, in Germany, the majority opinion is that the influence of their country has increased in the last 2-3 years (39%). (All rights reserved)
