Knowledge about the EU

[Olivier]

Interesting article on euobserver.com:

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The survey reveals that a general lack of knowledge about the EU still plagues many member states. Less than 50% of the citizens of 12 out of 15 of the member states knew the answers to basic questions about the EU, such as when it was founded and how many member states there are.

The eurosceptic citizens of the UK are among the least informed about the EU, with only 32% being able to answer the questions. The Netherlands trailed at the bottom of the class with 29%. Only 27% of all respondents knew that the EU has its own anthem.

82% of EU citizens have already seen the flag and are able to identify it as representing the European Union. Figures show that male respondents and managers from Luxembourg are the most likely to spontaneously identify the European flag.

* * *

Maybe we should get soms lessons about the EU in our schools...

Olivier

[byrnefm]

It's hard to get all the questions right when they keep expanding Europe For example, when I finished high school in 1993, Austria, Finland and Sweden (I think) weren't yet part of the EU..

But yes, you're correct. Even with the countries that were in the EU before then, I would have had no idea when any of them (apart from Ireland and England) joined the EU, for example.

[wouter]

I don't know very much about it either altough I am interested. for example I didn't knew the EU has an anthem. I also don't know the dates when the EU/EC was formed

[Antti]

I know the basics, but nothing really deep.
But I noticed this is a lot, we've lately had some political discussions at school and I was scared when I realised how EU sceptical most people, even the young ones are.

[K3lvin]

Does anyone know a link to complete results of this survey? I think it should be somewhere in Eurostat home page but I couldn't find it. Damn that site is complex.

[Olivier]

It's hard to get all the questions right when they keep expanding Europe For example, when I finished high school in 1993, Austria, Finland and Sweden (I think) weren't yet part of the EU..

But yes, you're correct. Even with the countries that were in the EU before then, I would have had no idea when any of them (apart from Ireland and England) joined the EU, for example.

1958: France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg -> The 6
1973: United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark -> The 9
1981: Greece -> 10
(That was the time I learned soms facts about Europe, at school! )

1986: Spain, Portugal: -> The Twelve
1995: Austria, Finland, Sweden.



Olivier

[Olivier]

I don't know very much about it either altough I am interested. for example I didn't knew the EU has an anthem. I also don't know the dates when the EU/EC was formed

It's l'Hymne à la joie, of Beethoven (what is the name in english?)

The european passeport that we use exists since 1986!

Olivier

[K3lvin]

It's l'Hymne à la joie, of Beethoven (what is the name in english?)

Ode of Joy. And it's from 9th symphony.

[Guest]

Enjoy:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/public_opinio ... b58_en.htm

[ag_pt]

Ode of Joy. And it's from 9th symphony.

Listen at :
http://www.europa.eu.int/abc/symbols/an ... dex_en.htm
(there you can choose your own language)

Music from the last movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony
In the site you can listen to the musical arrangement by Herbert von Karajan recorded at Trindade Theater, Lisboa, Portugal, in 1994.

[micro]

82% of EU citizens have already seen the flag and are able to identify it as representing the European Union. Figures show that male respondents and managers from Luxembourg are the most likely to spontaneously identify the European flag.

I do not wonder that most people couldn't answer the questions (same with me). But only 82% "have already seen" the flag??? One out of every six people don't know the flag???

[Olivier]

82% of EU citizens have already seen the flag and are able to identify it as representing the European Union. Figures show that male respondents and managers from Luxembourg are the most likely to spontaneously identify the European flag.

I do not wonder that most people couldn't answer the questions (same with me). But only 82% "have already seen" the flag??? One out of every six people don't know the flag???

It's possible!
You don't see many european flags in the UK....

[Skylimit]

The eurosceptic citizens of the UK are among the least informed about the EU, with only 32% being able to answer the questions. Olivier

Why am I not surprised ?
I bet 80% of the Americans does not know that there are other people than Americans on the planet ... Same level of interest

[Olivier]

The eurosceptic citizens of the UK are among the least informed about the EU, with only 32% being able to answer the questions. Olivier

Why am I not surprised ?
I bet 80% of the Americans does not know that there are other people than Americans on the planet ... Same level of interest

The americans know there are some people abroad. Some of them are very clever, and have a great level of study... The problem is the average of the american people.
I am sure they couldn't say much about Europe.

There was a poll in North America, at the beginning of the year. 90% of the Americans could not say the name of the canadian prime minister and of the mexican president, whereas 95% of the Canadian and Mexican could say GW Bush is president in the USA.

The shock will be rude if one day the are no more the center of the world...

O.

[Ning]

Support for the European Union, its institutions and its policies appears to be directly linked to the level of citizens’ knowledge about the European Union.