27/01/17
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20.05.2016 - The latest Eurobarometer survey carried out in April in seven non-euro area countries shows that 52% of respondents think that the introduction of the euro has had positive consequences in the countries that are already using the common currency. Nevertheless, the proportion of respondents who are in favour of introducing the euro in their own country varies widely, from 64% to 29%. In all seven countries, a majority of citizens thinks that they personally would manage to adapt to the euro as their new currency.
The survey was carried out in seven EU Member States that have yet to join the euro – Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and for the second time, Sweden. As in the past, the survey excluded Denmark and the UK, which have opted out of the common currency.
In three countries, a majority of citizens favours introducing the euro, while in four countries, a majority is against
The survey confirms earlier results revealing that support for the euro varies greatly among the seven individual countries. The latest results show that a majority of citizens in Romania (64%), Hungary (57%), and Croatia (48%) is in favour of introducing the euro, while a majority of citizens in the other four countries surveyed is against: Czech Republic (70% against), Sweden (68%), Poland (56%) and Bulgaria (48%).
The overall result shows a decline in support by four percentage points compared to last year. Now a majority of 52% across the seven non-euro area countries is against introducing the euro, while 45% are in favour. In 2015, support stood at 49%.
A majority thinks that the euro has been positive for those countries already using the currency but that introducing the euro would have negative consequences for their own country
Asked how they saw the impact of the introduction of the euro in the current euro area countries, 52% of respondents said they thought the effects have been positive. By contrast, an overall majority of 55% of respondents said that they thought adopting the euro would have negative consequences for their own country, while 39% expected positive consequences.
Views on the benefits of the euro again vary significantly in the individual countries. 51% of respondents in Romania said they expected positive consequence for their country, compared to 45% in Hungary, 37% in Bulgaria, Croatia and Poland, 31% in Sweden and 30% in the Czech Republic.
In all seven countries, a majority felt they personally would manage to adapt to the euro as their new currency
Asked whether they thought they personally would manage to adapt to the euro as their new currency, an overall majority of 79% said they would. While this view weakened by two percentage points compared to 2015, large majorities in all seven countries support this view, ranging from 70% in Czech Republic to 90% in Sweden.
However, a majority of respondents said either that they did not expect their country to adopt the euro within the next five years, or that they thought it would never happen. Given the choice between three options, only relative majorities in Croatia (42%) and Bulgaria (37%) thought that their countries would adopt the euro within five years. By contrast, relative majorities in Hungary (49) and Romania (38%) said that they thought their countries would adopt the euro within 10 years. A majority in Sweden (55%) and relative majorities in the Czech Republic (41%) and Poland (41%) thought this would never happen.
Citizens think displaying prices in the old currency and euros at the same time is most essential for a successful changeover
Citizens confirmed that they thought displaying prices in both the old currency and euros was the most important action to ensure a successful changeover. An overall majority of 76% said that they thought this should be done in shops, while 66% said that it should also be printed on bills and 64% on their pay slips.
The internet and social media ranked as the most preferred channel of information by 70%, followed by advertisements on television (67%), in newspapers (59%) and on the radio (57%).
Respondents were equally interested in all practical aspects of introducing the euro, with highest emphasis on information about the value of one euro (80%), social, economic or political implications, as well as practical implications for their own salary and bank account (78%), closely followed by how the euro would be introduced (77%) and conversion rules respected (75%).
Citizens replied to a set of questions ranging from awareness and knowledge of euro banknotes and coins, the estimated time horizon of euro introduction in their own country, their readiness and expected consequences, as well as about their desire for information about the euro and the changeover process.
Some 7 000 respondents across the seven EU Member States that have yet to join the euro – Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Sweden - were interviewed by phone from 18 to 19 April 2016.
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