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Title:
Eurobarometer 59.2: The Common Agricultural Policy, Issues of Immigration, Rail Transport, Consumer Protection, and Information Society, May - June, 2003

Series: (Eurobarometer Survey Series)

Subject Categories:
International micro data - Major studies
Agriculture, forestry and rural industry - Industry and management
Political behaviour and attitudes - Politics
Information technology - Media, communication and language
Social attitudes and behaviour - Society and culture
International politics and organisations - Politics
Ethnic minorities - Social stratification and groupings
Travel and transport

Depositor(s):
Zentralarchiv fuer Empirische Sozialforschung (Koeln)

Principal Investigator(s):
Mohedano-Brethes, R., Commission of the European Communities
Soufflot de Magny, R., Commission of the European Communities

Sponsor(s):
Commission of the European Communities

Other Acknowledgements:
Interviewing and sampling were conducted by various organisations operating in the European Union. For further details see documentation.

Abstract:
The Eurobarometer (EB) survey series is a unique programme of cross-national and cross-temporal comparative social science research. Since the early seventies representative national samples in all European Union (EU) (formerly the European Community (EC)) member states have been simultaneously interviewed in the spring and autumn of each year. Starting with EB 34.1 (autumn 1990), separate supplementary surveys on special issues have been conducted under almost every EB number. The EB is designed to provide regular monitoring of public social and political attitudes in the EU through specific trend questions. More information about the series may be found on the Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, Data Archive for the Social Sciences (GESIS) Eurobarometer Survey Series web pages. GESIS was formed in 2007 when three independent institutes merged (Social Science Information Centre (IZ) in Bonn, Central Archive for Empirical Social Research in Cologne (ZA), and Centre for Survey Research and Methodology (ZUMA) in Mannheim). Users should note that earlier EBs were deposited by ZA but are available now from GESIS.

Background
Work on European survey series began in early 1970, when the Commission of the European Community sponsored simultaneous surveys of the EC. These surveys were designed to measure public awareness of, and attitudes toward, the Common Market and other EC institutions, in complementary fashion. They also probed the goals given top priority for each respondent's nation. These concerns have remained a central part of the EC's research efforts - which were carried forward in the summer of 1971 with another six-nation survey that gave special attention to agricultural problems. The nine EC member countries were then surveyed again on the same topic areas in September 1973. After 1973, the surveys took on a somewhat broader scope in content as well as in geographical coverage, with measures of subjective satisfaction and the perceived quality of life becoming standard features of the EC public opinion surveys.

Over time, the member states of the EC/EU have increased in number, and the coverage of the EB surveys has widened accordingly. In 1974, nine countries were surveyed: France, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland and Luxembourg. Greece has been included since the autumn 1980 survey (EB 14) onwards, Portugal and Spain since autumn 1985 (EB 24), the former German Democratic Republic since autumn 1990 (EB 34), Finland since the spring of 1993 (EB 39), and Sweden and Austria since the autumn of 1994 (EB 42). Norway has been included in some surveys since 1991, from EB 36 onwards. In 2004, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia joined the EU, and in 2007, Bulgaria and Romania (some of these countries participated in the Candidate Countries Eurobarometer survey series (see under GN 33343) before full accession). Canditate countries of Macedonia and Iceland have also been included in selected surveys. Some surveys are also conducted in Turkey, and in the Turkish Cypriot Community (Northern Cyprus).

The Eurobarometer public opinion surveys are conducted on behalf of and co-ordinated by the European Commission, DG Press and Communication - Opinion Polls Sector (European Commission Public Opinion Analysis). Special topic modules are carried out at the request of the responsible EU Directorate General.

This round of EB surveys queried respondents on selected standard EB measures concerning key topical issues including the euro, EU enlargement, foreign policy, national internal policies, and the role of the United States in world affairs. The surveys also collected information regarding computer and Internet usage, including training, type of equipment, locations of use, frequency and duration of use, and about information and services respondents would like to find on the Internet.

A major focus of the surveys was concern about issues of immigration and the right of asylum with questions pertaining to unemployment, social inequality, urban violence, terrorism, war, and various types of crime such as illegal immigration, smuggling, and illegal trafficking of drugs and human beings. Respondents were also asked about the importance and desirability of certain measures associated with addressing these issues as well as their level of agreement with selected statements regarding immigration, immigrants, asylum, asylum seekers, and citizen rights. Respondents were further questioned about the place of people belonging to racial, religious, and cultural minorities.

Another focus of the surveys was the subject of EU agricultural policies with respondents being queried about competition, diversification, economic support, and benefits to consumers as well as farmers.

Two additional areas of inquiry included rail services and consumer protection. The series of questions regarding rail services asked about frequency of train travel in the past 12 months, quality of rail services, handicap accessibility, ticket prices, schedule information, and complaints made in the past 12 months. Questions pertaining to consumer protection asked about aspects of the Single European Market, products or services bought or ordered from another EU country, advertising of products and services by other EU countries, and about the safety of products and services.

Demographic information collected includes age, gender, nationality, marital status, left-right political self-placement, occupation, age at completion of education, type and size of locality, and household income.

Main Topics:
The main topics are:

• the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
• immigration and the right of asylum (including public safety and justice issues)
• attitudes towards immigrants and people from different races, religions and cultures (racism and xenophobia)
• the international (political) situation (including attitudes towards the USA)
• rail transport services
• consumer protection and cross-border purchases of non-food products and services in the EU
• information technology: internet access, usage, and expectations (E-inclusion)

Coverage:
Dates of Fieldwork: May 2003-June 2003
Country: Austria; Belgium; Denmark; Finland; France; Germany (October 1990-); Greece; Ireland; Italy; Luxembourg; Netherlands; Portugal; Spain; Sweden; United Kingdom
Spatial Units: Countries
Observation Units: Individuals

Universe Sampled:
Location of Units of Observation:Cross-national; National
Population:Citizens of the EU aged 15 and over residing in the member nations of the European Union.

Methodology:
Time Dimensions: Repeated cross-sectional study
Sampling Procedures: The sampling designs were either multi-stage national probability samples or national stratified quota samples.
Method of Data Collection: Face-to-face interview
Weighting: Weighting used. See documentation for details

Language(s) of Written Materials:
Study Description: English
Study Documentation: Various

Access:
Access Conditions: The depositor has specified that registration is required and standard conditions of use apply. The depositor may be informed about usage. See terms and conditions for further information.
Available to UK residents or those registered at UK institutions of higher or further education only.
Availability: ESDS International, UK Data Archive
Contact: Help desk: international@esds.ac.uk
Originating Archive: Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences. Data Archive for the Social Sciences - Original Study Number: 3905
Please Note: A large selection of Eurobarometer Survey Series datasets, including standard Eurobarometers, Central and Eastern Eurobarometers and Candidate Countries Eurobarometers, are available to browse, analyse and download online via GESIS's ZACAT service. Access is free of charge and requires separate online registration, including agreement to terms and conditions of use of the data. The data are available for scientific purposes only.

Date of Release:
First Edition: 17 March 2004

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