Poll: Record public support for the euro, scrapping 1 and 2 cent coins
Public support for the euro has reached an all-time high, according to the European Commission’s latest Eurobarometer survey, the results of which were released on May 27.
A record 80 per cent of respondents believe the euro is good for the EU and 70 per cent consider the euro good for their own country.
The Eurobarometer survey was done among about 17 700 respondents from the 19 euro zone member states between March 22 and 29 2021.
Across the euro zone, 74 per cent say they do not convert from the price in euro to their old national currency when buying things. This represents a six percentage point increase compared with October 2019.
Roughly one in four euro zone citizens still convert euro prices into their former currency. Thirteen per cent do so for common purchases such as day-to-day shopping, while 10 per cent do so only for exceptional purchases such as the purchase of a car or a house.
A majority (55 per cent, an increase of three percentage points compared with October 2019) of citizens in the euro zone believe that the euro has made travelling easier and less costly. A majority of respondents take this view in 17 of the euro-area countries.
The proportion of respondents who think the euro has reduced banking charges when travelling has increased to 45 per cent (an increase of seven percentage points compared with October 2019).
When asked whether the euro has made doing business in the EU easier, 81 per cent (two percentage points higher than in October 2019) agree; this view is held by a majority of those surveyed in all 19 euro zone countries.
A similar share of 84 per cent (up four percentage points compared with October 2019) believe the euro has made it easier to compare prices and shop (including online) in different countries.
The Eurobarometer survey and the results of a separate open public consultation found that an increasing number of citizens support rounding rules and the abolition of one and two-cent coins.
The Eurobarometer shows 67 per cent of the public are in favour of abolishing one- and two-euro cent coins through mandatory rounding (up or down) of the final sum of purchases to the nearest five cents.
There is majority support for this in all 19 euro zone member states.
The summary of the open public consultation on rounding rules shows that 72 per cent of respondents do not find one- and two euro cent coins useful and 71 per cent consider that rounding rules to the nearest five euro cents should be introduced.
A majority of respondents consider that rounding rules should be mandatory (71 per cent) and harmonised in the euro zone (77 per cent).
The public consultation attracted 17 033 responses. It took place over the course of 15 weeks, between September 28 2020 and January 11 2021.
(Photo: Stosic Marko/freeimages-com)
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