Croatia will vote in a referendum on EU membership the 22nd of January

TEAM – The European alliance of EU critical movements believes that Croatia’s Accession Agreement with the EU is extremely problematic for the Croatian economy and for the welfare of the Croatian people.

The main reason for TEAM’s concern is that, this accession agreement contains a binding commitment by the Croatian government to join the euro and the EMU. To make such a promise - when the euro is in its worst crisis ever - is an incomprehensible step that defies logic.

The Croatian government ought to demand an EU treaty guaranteed opt-out from the euro – just like Denmark and UK have. Without such an opt-out TEAM advices the Croatian people to vote “NO” to EU membership in the forthcoming referendum.

For further information please contact:

Patricia McKenna, coordinator of TEAM (Ireland), phone number 00 353 87 242 70 49 or e-mail: pmmckenna@eircom.net

Lave K. Broch, board member of TEAM (Denmark), phone number 00 45 – 28 92 21 27 or e-mail: lave@folkebevaegelsen.dk

Croatia will have a referendum concerning EU membership the 22nd of January.   The Danish People’s Movement against the EU’s believes that it is the worst time ever for Croatia to join the European Union.   First of all the EU is becoming a more and more centralized union and Croatia’s influence will be marginal.   Secondly the EU is in its worst crisis ever and Croatia does not have an opt out from the euro as e.g. Denmark. This means that Croatia will be bound to a currency union in great trouble. The welfare risks for the Croatian citizen are great.   The Danish People’s Movement suggests that Croatia should join the EFTA, the European Free Trade Association, instead of the European Union. Membership of EFTA will give the Croatian citizens possibilities to work, study, live and travel, trade in all EFTA and EU countries just like the citizens of the EU. However Croatians citizens will be able to have more democratic influence. And the Croatian economy does not have to be connected to the failing EU Monetary Union and the euro.
 
For further information please contact:

Jesper Morville, chairman of the international committee of the Danish People’s Movement against the EU phone: 0045-23633537 and e-mail: jespermorville@mail.dk

or Lave K. Broch, campaign coordinator of the Danish People’s Movement against the EU phone: 0045-28922127/0045-35363740 and e-mail: lave@folkebevaegelsen.dk
 
Relevant websites:
 
The Peoples’s Movement against the EU: www.folkebevaegelsen.dk

EFTA: www.efta.int
 
The Danish People’s Movement against the EU is a cross political movement working on a democratic and non-racist platform for democracy, the Nordic welfare system, sustainable environment and international solidarity. The main goal for the movement is Danish withdrawal from the EU. The People’s Movement has been represented in the EU parliament since the first direct election in 1979 and our current MEP is Søren Søndergaard. The People’s Movement has around 100 local branches across Denmark and around 3000 individual members.

Will it never stop? Month by month the number og Norwegians saying that they are against EU membership.

The most recent poll, made by Sentio for Nationen, a newspaper, shows a record high share of the respondents on the No side, 79.8 per cent, while only 12.6 side with Yes.

The No side leads in all age groups and in urban as well as rural areas.

Two years ago, an investor, Jens Ulltveit-Moe doneted 100.000 Norwegian kroner (appr. € 12.000) to Høyre, Norway’s Conservative Party, to encourage the party to work harder for Norwegian EU membership, according to NKR, Norway’s public broadcasting company. He is not deterred by the crisis in the Eurozone. He says:

”The countries in Southern Europe will have to undergo the same drastic economic measures as Norway and Sweden underwent during the early 1990es. At the end of that period our economies were strengthened. I am convinced that the same thing will happen in Southern Europe, but the process is going to be more noisy. However, the initial change of governments in Greece, Italy and Spain are promising.”

Stoltenberg: I am not going to make a third attempt

During his recent visit to the Congress of the German Social Democratic Parti (SPD) Norway’s prime minister, Jens Stoltenberg, affirmed the close ties between his party and the SPD, despise Norway’s being outside the EU, writes Nationen.

Mr Stoltenberg added, however, that he was not going to make a third attempt to make the Norwegians vote for EU membership, as he would have to be quite certain to win a referendum.

Norway has had two referenda on EU membership, in 1972 and 1994, both resulting in a No.

Sources: http://m.nrk.no/m/artikkel.jsp?art_id=17904313 http://www.nationen.no/2011/12/04/politikk/eu/jens_stoltenberg/arbeiderpartiet/tyskland/7090831/

A new poll published today (Nov. 17, 2011) in Iceland by the Icelandic polling company MMR for the local think tank Andriki.

• 50.5 percent of Icelanders want to withdraw the application, 35.3 percent want to carry on with it and 14.2 percent have not made up their minds.

• Of those who favour withdrawal of the application 38.8 percent strongly favour withdrawal while 23.8 percent strongly oppose it.

• The poll was produced November 10-14, 879 people were asked.

Sources: http://www.mbl.is/frettir/innlent/2011/11/16/fleiri_vilja_haetta_vid_umsokn/ http://andriki.is/post/12898554715

Hjörtur Jónas Guðmundsson”, hjorturg@hi.is

A fresh poll reveals a clear majority for keeping the EU Opt-Outs. ”This shows how wrong it is to hand over power to the EU without asking the people,” according to Søren Søndergaard, MEP for the Danish People’s Movement Against the EU, calling for a referendum on the surrender of sovereignty in the area of finance.

Today (Nov. 15, 2011) Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten, a Danish daily, is publishing a poll made by the Rambøll institute. This poll shows a clear majority for keeping not only the Euro Opt-Out, but also the Opt-Outs on Justice and Home Affairs and on Defence, which the Government are planning to abolish after referenda.

63.2 per cent of the respondents want to keep the Euro Opt-Out, while only 25.8 per cent want to abolish it. 47.5 per cent want to keep the Opt-Out on Defence, while 31.1 per cent want to abolish it. 45.1 per cent want to keep the Opt-Out on Justice and Home Affairs, while 33.7 want to abolish it.

”These figures mirror a deep and widespread anxiety about the entire EU project. They show how wrong it is to hand over power to the EU without asking the people. At the background of this poll it would in a democratic sense be irresponsible to hand over more power over financial policies,” according to Søren Søndergaard, MEP for the Danish People’s Movement Against the EU, calling for a referendum on the surrender of sovereignty in the area of finance (including the Euro Plus Pact and the six Directives on Financial Governance).

Further information from, and comments to: Søren Søndergaard, MEP, +45 40 45 38 49, e-mail: soren@folkebevaegelsen.dk or Ib Roslund, Information Officer, +45 33 36 37 40, e-mail: ib@folkebevaegelsen.dk

At the same time as Greece is in a deep financial crisis Iceland is lifting itself out of its crisis.

The public debt is expected to be halved by 2014, and economic growth is at 2.5 per cent. But the gigantic EU bail-out packets for Greece have not had any effect.

”For us it has been important that we have our own currency, ” says Steingrímur J. Sigfússon to Standpunkt, the journal of Norway’s No to EU.

”People in Greece are suffering; they cannot cope with their day-to-day life; they cannot buy food; they are evicted from their homes,” says Jannis Barbantonis, president of the Greek Association in Norway to NRK, the Norwegian Broadcast Corporation.

This desperate situation is, according to Jannis Barbantonis, the background for Prime Minister Papandreou’s decision to call a referendum on the EU crisis bail-out packet.

The packet is not a light at the end of the tunnel for the Greeks who want to re-negotiate the conditions of the loans, with a lower rate of interest and a 40 year maturity, he says, and continues to point out that the bail-out does not reduce the debt by half. The fact is, says he, that out of the €380 billion Greek debt €260 is in government bonds which are not included in the bail-out.

Wishing you every success with your annual convention.
  The Danish People’s Movement has been an invaluable part the Danish political landscape for many years.  Despite the many obstacles, both blatant and subtle, erected by the EU establishment, your movement has managed to survive and remain central contributor to debates on the EU and how it impacts on the key fundamental principles of democracy. However, your impact has not just been at a national level. Throughout all the member states of the EU your effect has been felt and for this we are eternally thankful.

The impact of your organization has been felt right across EU member states. Campaign’s on EU referenda have not only been inspired by you but have also received invaluable and crucial support in trying to defeat further EU treaty changes that have further eroded our democracies. At this crucial period of EU chaos it is essential that you keep up the good work so that you can help like-minded groups in other countries.   Without your inspiration and support the No votes to EU treaty change may never have happened.   Both TEAM and the EUD have come about as a result of your work and campaign and members of both organizations will be looking forward to working together with you in the crucial months and years ahead.   Denmark is now facing yet another attempt to erode the few democratic protection measures that you have managed to achieve over the years – your opt-outs of Justice & Home Affairs, Military and EURO seem to be once again under threat. Many people across the EU are envious of your achievements and we will endeavor to help you in fighting against the forthcoming attempts to remove your valuable opt-outs.   Sincere best wishes for your future success.   Patricia McKenna
Coordinator of TEAM
President -  EUD

The Annual General Meeting of TEAM in London on Oct 1, 2011, elected the following members of the TEAM Board

Patricia McKenna, Ireland, – Coordinator - pmmckenna@eircom.net
Stuart Coster, UK - coster@democracymovement.org.uk
Sigrid Heiberg, Norway - sigrid.heiberg@gmail.com
Helle Hagenau, Norway - hhagenau@online.no
Karoline Runestad, Norway - runestadkaroline@gmail.com
Dora Debeljak, Slovenia - soncka_1999@yahoo.com
Alain Bournazel, France - alainbournazel@gmail.com
Ingela Mårtensson, Sweden - ingela_martensson@hotmail.com
Lave Knud Broch, Denmark – Treasurer - lave@folkebevaegelsen.dk
Luise Hemmer Pihl, Denmark - skrodhoj@gmail.com
Olli Salin, Finland - olli.salin@hel.fi

”It must be truly uphill work to campaign for Norway joining the EU, ” comments Heming Oluassen, leader of No to EU, referring to the latest Sentio poll on the issue, published on October 23.

According to the poll, 70,8 per cent of the respondents say No to Norwegian EU membership, while 18.6 per cent say Yes. 10.6 per cent are undecided. The poll was made for two Norwegian newspapers, Nationen and Klassekampen.

At the same time, dissatisfaction with Norway’s EEA membership, which obliges the country to follow the laws of the EU Single Market, is growing.

“This manifests itself in concern and partly in anger caused by the way in which the EEA agreement is undermining our policy for the rural areas and a decent labour market in Norway,” says Heming Olaussen to Nationen and continues: This is going to be the new EU debate: How much EU influence are we going to accept when we have chosen to stay outside?”

Source: http://www.nationen.no/2011/10/23/politikk/eu/eu-barometer/heming_olaussen/nei_til_eu/7003314/

Minutes of the 2011 Annual General Meeting of TEAM held in Overseas House, Royal Overseas League,  Park Place, St James’s Street, London SWlA ILR on Saturday 1 October 2011.

Guests:  Jan A. Johannsson, Sweden; David Wilkinson,  UK Apologies:  Dora Debeljak, Slovenia; Johannes Rindal, Senterungdommen, Norway; Kjell Dahle, Senterpartiet, Norway; John Mills, Secretary, Labour Euro-Safeguards Campaign, UK; Hans Lindqvist, EU-kritiska Centernetvarket, Sweden; Normunds Grostins, Latvia;Poul Ruppen, Europa Magazin, Switzerland; Max Andersson, Miljöpartiet, Sweden; Gorazd Drevensek, Slovenia;  Helle Hagenau, Norway; Antti Pesonen, Finland; Mauri Nygaard, Finland.

Coordinator: Patricia McKenna, Ireland The minutes of the last meeting held in 2010 were read.  Muriel Saidlear, Ireland, agreed to take the minutes for this year’s AGM. It was agreed that minutes giving such lengthy details of discussions and speakers would not be required in future.

l.   Financial Report Lave Broch, Denmark,  gave his comments in addition to the report. Under the heading Income/expenditure An entry under Isafold, Iceland: reading  l SEK is set to 1,3438 DKK, was corrected to read l DKK is set to l,3438 SEK After this  correction was made  the Financial Report was passed and the meeting thanked Lave Broch for his work as Treasurer.

1.  Report of work over the past year TEAM helped in relation to the campaign for a referendum on Eurozone membership in Estonia by organizing meetings, opinion polls and data which could be used in the future.  This work was recognized as being very useful by the Estonian campaign. It was pointed out that keeping up-to-date lists of  TEAM membership was very time-consuming and onerous and it was suggested that one member of the incoming Board should be appointed to take responsibility for this task. The length of time in which to pursue subscriptions in the case of non-payment was decided to be one year after which, having given the affiliate notice, TEAM membership would terminate. UKIP has not paid its subscription for the year 2010-11.  It was therefore decided to allow UKIP’s membership to lapse. The TEAM webpage, which Luise Hemmer-Pihl, Denmark, had agreed to operate for the year 2010-11 to replace the Slovenian operator who had stood down, was functioning but not to its full potential. It needed to be up-dated every day if possible to attract a wide audience. It was decided that a website consisting of information from Open Europe, EU Observer, and reports from different affiliates should be posted  perhaps in the form of a newsletter which would be controlled and under the auspices of TEAM. The Link with Facebook,Twitter, etc. which would give immediate access with photographic input etc. could be used as a backup but without TEAM being responsible.  This latter would be organized and operated by the young Norwegian members.  A deadline should be set for entries to this website link inputs.

2.  Work Programme for 2011-12 This overlapped to some extent with Item No.4 on the Agenda, Report on work over the past year. Regarding the website discussion, John Boyd, UK, said he would be willing to help in a small way.  The Norwegian Youth group offered to help to operate the Link aspect of the website and in this context it was decided that they should be invited to become members of the Board irrespective of the fact that Norway would have the largest national group on the board. Lave Broch gave a report from the People’s Movement in Denmark on the upcoming Danish referendum. There will be a referendum in 2012 on EU justice policy and EU military policy – the exact date is not yet fixed. There is a Danish court case due to start on 26 March 2012 dealing with the validity of the Danish ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. The presidency of the EU will be held by Denmark in the first part of 2012. It was agreed that TEAM should help in every way possible in Denmark’s referendum and in Iceland’s referendum on EU membership. The situation in Croatia needed to be handled with care to avoid TEAM becoming involved with extreme racists campaigners in the upcoming referendum on Croatia’s application for EU membership.

3. Endorsement of new TEAM affiliates There were no new affiliates.

4. Nominations Committee It was proposed that this Committee be discontinued.  However, because of TEAM’s Constitution this will have to wait until next year’s AGM when  a formal proposal to amend the constitution to this effect be put forward.  This was agreed.  One member of the incoming Board should be appointed to be responsible for this. It was decided that a date for next year’s AGM should be set as soon as possible by the Board so that it could be broadened out into wider areas for debate and discussion involving organisations concerned with environmental, peace issues and such like.

5.  Election of board, treasurer and coordinator The following were elected to the Board: Stuart Coster, UK, Sigrid Heiberg, Norway, Helle Hagenau, Norway, Karoline Runestad. Norway, Dora Debeljak, Slovenia,   Alain Bournazel, France, Ingela Mårtensson, Sweden, Patricia McKenna, Ireland – Coordinator, Lave Knud Broch, Denmark – Treasurer, Luise Hemmer Pihl, Denmark, Olli Salin, Finland

Both the Coordinator and Treasurer agreed to continue in these positions for another year. Lea Launakari, Finland, is not going forward this year.

1.  Amendments to TEAM Constitution It was agreed that the Nomination Committee be discontinued forthwith and that the Constitution should be so amended at the next AGM. Thanks were expressed to Jan Johannsson, EU Democrats, for his help in organizing the meetingplace in London.

Reports from affiliates for the different European countries were then given by those present.

Programme

FRIDAY, September 30th

For TEAM Board members only:

16.00-18.00 - Board meeting at the office of People’s Pledge, 83 Victoria Street, London SW1H OHW

For all participants in the TEAM Annual General Meeting:

19.00: We are invited to a celebration of the Jubilee of Get Britain Out, including a buffet supper. The Venue will be in central London and will be announced as soon as possible.

SATURDAY, October 1st

For all TEAM organisation members:

10.00-13.00 - Official TEAM AGM Venue: Overseas House (Royal Overseas League), London, Park Pl, London SW1A 1 LR

Agenda:
1. Apologies
2. Minutes of 2010 AGM and matters arising
3. Financial report
4. Report of work over the past year
5. Endorsement of new TEAM affiliates
6. Work Programme for 2011/12
7. Report of the Nominations Committee – recommendations for Board members and coordinator (chairman)
8. Election of board, treasurer and coordinator
9. Amendments to the TEAM constitution
10. Election of the Nominations Committee
11. Discussion on the futute operation of TEAM and the TEAM board
12. Written reports from affiliates and delegates

13.00-14.00 - Lunch break

PUBLIC MEETING

Venue:Overseas House (Royal Overseas League), Lomdon, Park Pl, London SW1A 1 LR
Official organizers : TEAM and EUD (Eudemocrats)

14.15-14.30: Welcome by TEAM coordinator Patricia McKenna
14.30-15.00: THE FINANCIAL CRISIS AND THE EURO Anthony Coughlan, Senior Lecturer Emeritus in Social Policy of Trinity College, Dublin, and a British Trade Unionist – name not confirmed
15.00-15.30: Debate

15.30-16.00 Break

IS THERE A FUTURE OUTSIDE THE EU?

16.00-17.00 Edward Spalton, chair of CIB, and Sigrid Heiberg, board member of No to EU, Norway
17.00-18.00 Debate

18.00-18.15 Closing of the meeting

By Wolfgang Munchau, Financial Times, 12 September 2011

The two real options for a resolution of the eurozone crisis came into full conflict last week. The first is a common eurozone bond. The second is a monetisation of national debt through the European Central Bank. Angela Merkel rejects the former. Europe’s central bankers reject the latter. Jürgen Stark, a member of the European Central Bank’s executive board, rejects both, and last week resigned in protest. Along with other conservative economists, he is advocating a third way, adjustment through depression – the simultaneous deleveraging of the private and public sector debt.

As an advocate of eurozone bonds, I have to admit their prospect looks grim after last week’s ruling of the German constitutional court. The court upheld the European financial adjustment facility, the crisis mechanism. This was, undoubtedly, good news. But after I read the whole ruling, which ran to 29 tightly written pages, I realised that this judgement was not a victory for the eurozone at all. On the contrary, it categorically rules out any policy option beyond what has been agreed so far. I cannot see how it can be consistent with the survival of the eurozone, given the policies of member states and the ECB.

Much of the language in this document is opaque constitutional jargon. But on the issues that matter, the ruling is surprisingly, and depressingly, clear. It says the German government must not accept permanent mechanisms – as opposed to the EFSF, which is temporary – with the following criteria: if they involve a permanent liability to other countries; if these liabilities are very large or incalculable; and if foreign governments, through their actions, can trigger the payment of the guarantees. If I were a plaintiff in this case, I would regard that statement as an open invitation by the court to bring a new case against the European stability mechanism.

The ESM will be the permanent successor to the EFSF from 2013. It fulfils a good subset of those conditions. The justices ruled with a seven to one majority in this case, but later said it was a close decision. If the plaintiffs were to bring a much more focused case against a more ambitious mechanism, they might stand a better chance.

If the ESM is a borderline case under German constitutional law, there can be no such doubt about a eurobond. The court’s verdict leaves me no alternative but to conclude they are indeed unconstitutional.

Moreover, you cannot get around this unfortunate fact with an ingenious combination of eurocratic trickery and financial engineering. The court, quite cleverly, did not mention eurobonds. It talked about liabilities. The Bundestag is not precluded from giving money to Greece, but it cannot empower a third party, such as the EFSF or ESM, let alone a hypothetical European Debt Agency, from usurping sovereign power. Sovereignty can be delegated in small slices, but not permanently.

A eurobond is, of course, a permanent mechanism. It also involves a permanent loss of control. Its size is very likely to be substantial. There would not be any point in issuing a small eurobond – it would not resolve the crisis. And unless member states were to transfer some of their sovereignty to Brussels, all the inherent risks in the structure would come from non-compliance by national governments or parliaments. In other words, a eurobond perfectly matches the conditions set by the constitutional court for an arrangement that violates the German constitution.

What if the EU decided to create a fiscal union after all? The constitutional court already decided in its ruling on the Lisbon Treaty that this is not possible either. A fiscal union would require a referendum, in which the German electorate would decide to abolish the sovereign German state, and transfer sovereignty from Berlin to Brussels. Suffice to say, that this is not very likely to happen. So we have an impasse. No matter how you organise a future fiscal space in the eurozone, it will either be meaningless, or infringe the German constitution.

Moreover, the political hurdles have also gone up recently. Angela Merkel has ruled it out so forcefully that she cannot turn her back on this promise. Even the leaders of the opposition, who are more sympathetic to the idea, would find themselves constrained by the ruling.

What does this mean? First, the ruling significantly increases the probability of default by one or several member states. This is a simple consequence of the Law of Large Numbers. There are now so many hurdles in place that a systemic accident is very likely to happen at some point. Do we really think the Bundestag, after having reluctantly accepted the need for a second Greek loan programme, will vote for a third? Or a second Portuguese or second Irish programme? Will they vote Yes once the EFSF starts buying bonds, or recapitalising banks? It takes a single No vote to trigger a default. When that happens, there will be no time left for diplomacy.

The ruling leaves a post-Stark ECB as the sole backstop that could prevent a break-up of the eurozone. Next week I will explain why this option is not going to work either.

Anthony Coughlan recommends this interesting article on the German Constitutional Court’s verdict on the current Eurozone bailout fund, published in Financial Times, September 12, 2011

On his blog, TEAM board member Alain Bournazel, points out that the very measure of the EU member countries ”helping” each other out of the crisis with gap-stopping loans actually sharpens the crisis.

He also points out the that crisis has hit only members of the Eurozone, whereas Switzerland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, countries that have kept their national currency, have not been hit.

The article follows here in the original French.

La crise - La tentation du pire

Alain Bournazel

Ce qu’on appelle communément la crise est en fait la conjonction de plusieurs crises qui éclatent simultanément en plusieurs points du globe. Avec des économies largement mondialisées, les crises s’entretiennent mutuellement, ce qui rend leur règlement plus difficile. Mais il faut savoir sérier les problèmes. Les Etats-Unis sont confrontés à un réel problème d’équilibre de leurs finances publiques (ce qui n’est pas nouveau). Mais l’économie américaine a suffisamment de ressources et le dollar reste malgré tout suffisamment fort pour que les Etats-Unis s’en sortent sans trop de difficultés.

Le problème de la zone euro est beaucoup plus préoccupant. Les pays de la zone – l’Allemagne mise à part – sont asphyxiés par des déficits publics de plus en plus difficiles à combler du fait que leur économie est complètement anémiée par l’euro. On constatera d’ailleurs que la crise financière en Europe frappe presque exclusivement les pays de la zone euro. Personne ne parle de crise pour la Suisse, le Danemark, la Suède, la Norvège qui ont conservé leur monnaie nationale. Cette réalité met à nu le bobard de l’euro qui devait nous apporter la stabilité et la croissance.

Si la Grèce, l’Espagne, l’Italie et le Portugal n’étaient pas dans la zone euro, ils pourraient s’en sortir par une dévaluation qui leur permettrait de remettre leur économie à un niveau compétitif. Enfermés dans la zone euro, ils n’ont d’autres solutions que d’attendre une aide massive venant des autres pays de la zone. Mais cette aide fragilise les pays donateurs qui sont eux-mêmes fortement endettés ce qui est le cas de la France. La mutualisation des dettes au niveau européen que d’aucuns présentent comme le remède est en réalité la pire car elle ébranle l’ensemble. La faiblesse des uns devient la faiblesse de tous.

Pour empêcher cette fragilisation, les tenants de la cause européenne préconisent une politique de rigueur. Certes, il est souhaitable que les finances publiques soient en équilibre. Ce serait possible pour la France si elle mettait un terme au gaspillage insensé des deniers publics dilapidés par des opérations douteuses et des causes stupides. Mais la rigueur en soi n’est pas une solution car elle accroît des problèmes qui n’ont nullement besoin de l’être, en particulier celui du chômage.

Bref au lieu des interminables palabres, nous avons besoin aujourd’hui d’une politique de redressement national conduite avec vigueur. Le nouveau gouvernement qui a pris la direction des affaires au mois de juin en Finlande à la suite des dernières élections législatives a pris des mesures pour remettre en ordre les comptes publics. Le traitement des ministres a été réduit de 5%. Exemple à méditer.

On August 11, a new opinion poll was published in Iceland, produced by Capacent Gallup for Heimssýn, the Icelandic No movement. According to it 64,5 percent oppose joining the European Union while 35,5 per cent favour it, measuring only those who either said yes or no.

In a similar poll, produced by Capacent Gallup for Heimssýn in June 57,3 percent rejected EU membership while 42,7 percent favoured it. According to that opposition to joining the EU has increased this summer while support for membership has declined.

For more than two years every single opinion poll in Iceland has shown a vast majority of Icelanders opposed to EU membership.

Source:
Vaxandi andstaða við aðild að ESB (Mbl.is August 11, 2011)

In Italy EU membership has always been seen as the natural thing, the thing that nobody questions. But as the economic crisis threatens Italy, the opinion is changing. A recent (April 18th 2011) survey by Swg for www.Affariitaliani.it shows that 63 per cent of the respondents want to leave the EU.

Among center-right adherents the figure is 83 per cent, while 36 per cent of center-left voters agree.

The background is the economic crisis as well as the problems created for the Italian society by the influx of migrants from North Africa. When asked who is to blame, 41 per cent point to the EU and 29 per cent to the Italian government.

Just published, the NEW EUROPEAN, Vol. 20, no. 1, edited by Luise Hemmer Pihl:

EU-related article on Palestine, food security, local communities, the nation state and something as rare as an Italian EU-critical book.

You can order free PDF version from skrodhoj@gmail.com or simply download it here.

Only one third of respondents believe EU membership has been positive for the United Kingdom.

The level of animosity towards the European Union (EU) in Britain remains high, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll, published July 12, 2011, has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample of 2,003 British adults, a majority of respondents (57%) believe that EU membership has been negative for the United Kingdom, while only one third (32%) think it has had a positive effect. The wording of the question was: ”Overall, do you think EU membership has been positive or negative for the United Kingdom?”

Respondents aged 18-to-34 are more likely to express positive feelings about the EU (45%) than those aged 35-to-54 (31%) and those over the age of 55 (22%). Half of Britons (49%) say they would vote against the United Kingdom remaining a member of the EU if a referendum took place, while only one-in-four (25%) would vote to stay. Older respondents favour the idea of abandoning the EU by a 3-to-1 margin (68% to 19%).

Finally, Britons oppose the notion of the UK adopting the euro as its national currency by a 10-to-1 margin, with 81 per cent of respondents saying they would reject this course of action in a referendum.

Download Full Tables here, pdf.

See more at Angus Reid Public Opinion.

64 percent of Norway’s voters would vote No to Norwegian EU membership, according to the latest Sentio poll from July. It is a slight decrease from the June record of 66,4 per cent.

Source: Nationen

Despite the fact that Iceland’s government has applied officially for EU membership, 57,3 per cent of the voters would vote NO in a referendum. 51 per cent would have the government retract the application for EU membership.

Source: Heimssyn

Tuesday 19 July 2011

“Apart from that, Mrs Lincoln, did you enjoy the play? “

“The member states whose currency is the euro may establish a stability mechanism to be activated if indispensable to safeguard the stability of the euro area as a whole. The granting of any required financial assistance under the mechanism will be made subject to strict conditionality.”

• Amendment to Article 136 of the EU Treaties(TFEU) which was decided on by the 27 EU Member States at the March European Council summit and which licensed the 17 Eurozone States to sign the European Stability Mechanism Treaty on yesterday week, 11 July. This ESM Treaty would establish a permanent EU bailout fund from 2013. The ESM Treaty and the Art.136 EU Treaty amendment which authorises it now go around for ratification by the Member States. The Government has decided not to put it to referendum here even though it means more power to the EU.

The National Platform EU Research and Information Centre
24 Crawford Avenue
Dublin 9
Tel.: 01-8305792

50 per cent of the Danes would vote No to replacing the Danish Krone with the Euro, according to a poll published on February 11th, 2011. Only 41 per cent would vote Yes.

This result is particularly remarkable because it comes after Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen’s announcement that it is time to reconsider the Danish opt-out on the Euro.

The Prime Minister’s declaration was prompted by the Sarkozy-Merkel proposal for an Euro-compact for control over the member countries’ finances.

”The Danish people have realized that the Euro is a failure. The whole Euro system is a failed construction in which the German economy is almost all-dominating. Consequently it is an illusion that Denmark would gain any influence by entering the Euro Zone,” says Søren Søndergaard, MEP for the Danish People’s Movement Against the EU.

The Danes have already voted no to the Euro in three referendums, in 1992 on the Maastricht Treaty, in 1993 when the Danish opt-outs were annexed to the Edinburgh Decision, and in the 2000 referendum on the Euro opt-out.

Luise Hemmer Pihl

Source

Support is below 50 %. What will happen with the EU referendum?

Despite of an increase of optimistic announcements about Croatia entering the European Union, more and more Croatians oppose the idea of Croatia joining the Union, according to an opinion poll made by CRO Demoskop.

The results of the monthly opinion poll on the political preferences of Croatian citizens regarding Croatia joining the EU show that even 40,3 % of the citizens oppose this idea.

All together 49,4 % give support to the EU membership which is an increase by 0,3 % compared to January 2011 (when there was a 49,1 % support). Nevertheless, comparing the actual results with those in February 2010, there is a decrease of the support to join the EU from 49,7 % to 49,4 %, while there is an increase by 1,45 % of those against an EU membership.

The figures of those who hadn’t made a decision yet concerning this topic, increased up to 10,2 %, compared to 10 % last month. What is surprising about the poll done this month is a change of opinions on both sides. Due to the strong media campaign some changed their mind in favour of EU membership, while others became sceptical as a result of several events during the negotiation process and therefore declared themselves as undecided, awaiting the results of the development in the next months (or years).

Romano Sole, “Volim Hrvatsku – Ne u EU”, Croatia

373,000 coupons petitioning for an ”in or out” referendum on British EU membership were presented to PM David Cameron on january 31st.

Five senior MPs helped to carry the sacks containng the coupons to 10 Downing Street.

”The message has been delivered straight to the door of Number 10. The Prime Minister will certainly take note of the strength of feeling on this,” said Tory MP Philip Hollobone.

Kate Hoey, a former minister and Labour MP for Vauxhall in south London, said: “The Daily Express should be congratulated. This shows that a huge number of people believe we should leave the EU. Politicians of all parties need to take note.” A Downing Street spokeswoman said: ”We will respond in the usual way”.

The campaign was conducted by British newspaper Daily Express and resulted in 350,000 signed and posted coupons as well as 23,000 website signatures.

Read the full story here.

Only 22.5 per cent of Norwegians say that they support the EU, according to a Sentio Survey made for newspapers Nationen and Klassekampen in january 2011. No fewer than 65,9 per cent of those polled say that they are against Norway joining the EU.

It is remarkable that there is a majority against the EU in all the categories specified in the poll, except the very small Pensioners’ Party.

Some groups are traditionally more in favour than others, but even in those the negative attitude dominates. This goes for people in Oslo and for millionaire – even here the No side leads with more than twenty percent points. And 57 per cent the voters of the Conservatives, Høyre, formerly staunch Europeans, are negative, while only 33 per cent are positive.

This means that the No to EU side has now been able to muster a majority of more than 60 per cent for the last eight months on end.

The full story (in Norwegian) is found here.