An alternative to the EU

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PRESS RELEASE
 

A new YouGov opinion poll for Hugo van Randwyck shows support for EFTA/EEA has increased to 44%, while support for EU/EEA membership has fallen to 21. EFTA is the European Free Trade Association, which allows member countries to run their own agriculture, fisheries, Home Affairs and Justice, and if the UK were a member, would contribute around £3bn less to the EU per year. The EEA, is the European Economic Area, which allows for free movement of goods, services, capital and people in all EU countries and also Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein. The Don't Know is high at 35%, interestingly with those 60+ having a 25% Don't Know and those 18-24 having a 49% Don't Know..

A similar poll was conducted in 2010 and the results below show a comparison with 2010 in brackets, i.e. 2012 (2010). The new poll also adds that as a member of EFTA, the UK can still be a member of the EEA. Also the question has been added to, i.e. from EFTA or EU, to EFTA/EEA or EU/EEA.

EFTA/EEA 44% (39%)

EU/EEA 21% (36%)

Don't Know 35% (25%)

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.  Total sample size was 2,775 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 12th - 16th January 2012.  The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

Full results can also be seen on the YouGov website:

http://www.yougov.com/

The poll was commissioned by Hugo van Randwyck, who has also written and spoken of EFTA/EEA as an off-the-shelf alternative to EU/EEA membership.

For press enquiries please contact:

Hugo van Randwyck

6 Essington House

Lytton Grove

London

SW15 2ET

0780 118 5970

hugo.vanrandwyck@gmail.com

Full Questions text:

"The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) was set up in 1960.  Britain had previously been a member of the EFTA, but it left to join the European Community (the EC, which later became the EU) in 1973.

In the 1990s the EFTA joined the EEA (European Economic Area), of which the EU is also a member, which allows for free movement of goods, services, capital and people in all EU countries.  If Britain became a member of the EFTA, this would not affect its membership of the EEA. The EFTA has no common agricultural or fisheries policy, no economic union, nor any common foreign, security and defence policy between individual countries.  These are run by the parliamentary member states. As a result, the cost of Britain belonging to the EFTA, if it decided to join, is estimated to be approximately £3 billion per year.  Current members include Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

As a result of Britain’s membership of the EU, it maintains common policies on trade, agriculture, fisheries and regional development, as well as security and defence policy.  The EU has certain control over what happens between countries (such as the free movement of goods, services, capital and people) but also – to an extent – what happens within the individual countries.  Membership of the EU is expected to cost an estimated £6 billion in 2010-11.  Current members include France, Spain and  Germany."

With this in mind, which would you prefer Britain to be in?

The EU (European Union) and EAA (European Economic Area)

The EFTA (European Free Trade Association) and EAA (European Economic Area)

Don't know

Laurence Janta-Lipinski
Research Manager, Political and Social Research

50 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8RT
T +44 (0)20 7012 6000  F +44 (0)20 7012 6001

DDI +44 (0)20 7012 6065 
Laurence.Janta-Lipinski@yougov.com
http://www.yougov.com/

http://twitter.com/#!/YouGov