The survey in autumn last year looked at people's knowledge, image and experience of the Strasbourg based body with around 1000 people in each of the 27 Member States being polled.
Power and influence
A key part of the survey was the extent to which the power of the relative European institutions is perceived by the public at large. In the poll people felt that the Parliament had the greatest decision making power (43% of those polled) compared to the European Commission (14%) and the Council (10%).
With regards to image, 39% of people either have a positive or a neutral (41%) image of the parliament. In terms of words or phrases that could best be applied to the assembly then people picked out "democratic", "not well known", "dynamic" or "listening to European citizens".
In terms of the information people have about the parliament then 73% said that in general terms that they feel badly or very badly informed about the parliament's activities. Only 24% of those polled felt they were well informed.
Timing of new European elections unknown to majority
A series of questions were asked to test people's general knowledge about the European Parliament and its activities. One of the key questions was to ask people when the next European Parliamentary elections will be held. In this it found that 75% of people did not know when they would be taking place. In the survey only 10% of those polled knew the date which is June 2009 when they will be held in all 27 EU members.
Role roaming, REACH, bathing water noted
The survey found that people in the whole were quite aware of the role MEPs and the Parliament had played in several key European pieces of legislation in the last years. On the REACH chemicals legislation which documented and recorded many types of substances and the roaming regulation to reduce phone bills whilst abroad, respectively 70% and 55% of respondents were aware of the Parliament's key role.
In addition to this 65% were aware of the Parliament's role in the "black list" of unsafe airlines for safety reasons and 58% knew about measures taken by MEPs to improve Europe's bathing water quality.
Policies and values
As to what the European Parliament should turn its attention to in the future, 44% of those polled want it to deal with combating terrorism, 40% want action on climate change and 39% want it to concentrate on consumer issues and protection of public health (39%).
The question as to which values the Parliament should be defended and promoting found that 58% want it to defend human rights, 41% equality between men and women and 36% want it to act as a bridge to encourage solidarity between EU members. You can read the Eurobarometer in full by clicking on the first link below.
