Friday

29th Mar 2024

Public support for EU energy policy wilts

Despite Brussels' push for a common European strategy on energy, the latest opinion poll - seen by the EUobserver - has shown a shift in public opinion towards support for strategic decisions on energy to be taken at the national, and not the EU level.

According to a new Eurobarometer survey to be published in the coming weeks and presented as a draft to the European Commission on Wednesday (12 July), 42 percent of respondents argue that energy issues should be dealt with primarily by national governments, as opposed to 39 percent favouring Europe's institutions.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

  • Most Europeans think energy should be dealt with at home (Photo: European Community, 2006)

The results have been interpreted by officials as a "shift" since last autumn when almost a half of all citizens (47%) preferred the EU take key energy decisions.

The new tendency has been observed in all EU member states and candidate countries, with the biggest loss of support for a common energy project recorded in Cyprus (- 27%), Malta and Latvia (- 16%) and Austria (- 14%).

Denmark is the only exception with the number of people favouring the EU level for energy decisions having risen by 7 percent.

The most enthusiastic supporters of the idea that energy is for individual member states to take care of are the Finnish (65%), Estonians (56%), British (55%) and Swedes (55%).

On the other hand, a common European tackling of looming energy problems is viewed positively in Italy and the Netherlands (both 55%), Denmark (52%) and Belgium (50%).

The draft document has interpreted the results by pointing out that "during autumn 2005 and spring 2006, the action of the EU was not visible and that EU does not have a direct impact on taxes which are levied by member states on energy, in particular petrol for cars."

No to green energy

Europeans have also again clearly expressed their opposition to more expensive green energy.

A majority (59%) of those surveyed said they were not "prepared to pay more for energy produced from renewable sources than for energy produced from other sources."

This tendency has been recorded before but it has even risen - by 5 percent - compared to the autumn poll.

Among the 34 percent of citizens ready to pay more, 24 percent would agree to pay up to 5 percent more.

In the new member states, 70 percent of people are not ready to dole out more, but 18 percent would pay up to 5 percent more.

Among the old EU countries, Danes (22%), Luxembourgers (17%), the Dutch (15%) and the British (13%) would be willing to pay up to 6 to 10% more than at present.

Overall, a majority of Europeans prefer to change their consumption habits rather than pay more for energy, according to the survey.

Ukraine slams grain trade restrictions at EU summit

Restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural exports to the EU could translate into military losses in their bid to stop Russia's war, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky warned EU leaders during their summit in Brussels on Thursday.

Difficult talks ahead on financing new EU defence spending

With the war in Ukraine showing no signs of ending any time soon, EU leaders will meet in Brussels on Thursday and Friday (21 and 22 March) to discuss how to boost the defence capabilities of Ukraine and of the bloc itself.

Opinion

Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Rather than assuming a pro-European Labour government in London will automatically open doors in Brussels, the Labour party needs to consider what it may be able to offer to incentivise EU leaders to factor the UK into their defence thinking.

Latest News

  1. Kenyan traders react angrily to proposed EU clothes ban
  2. Lawyer suing Frontex takes aim at 'antagonistic' judges
  3. Orban's Fidesz faces low-polling jitters ahead of EU election
  4. German bank freezes account of Jewish peace group
  5. EU Modernisation Fund: an open door for fossil gas in Romania
  6. 'Swiftly dial back' interest rates, ECB told
  7. Moscow's terror attack, security and Gaza
  8. Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us