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Eurobarometer 58.0: Services of General Interest, New Technologies, ICT, Health, Environment, and Public Safety, September - October, 2002The 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 Zentralarchiv fuer Empirische Sozialforschung (ZA - Central Archive for Empirical Social Research, University of Cologne) Eurobarometer Survey Series web pages. 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). 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. Main Topics:This round of Eurobarometer surveys queried respondents on standard Eurobarometer measures, such as how satisfied they were with their present life, whether they attempted to persuade others close to them to share their views on subjects they held strong opinions about, whether they discussed political matters, and what the European Union's priorities should be. Additional questions focused on the respondents' knowledge of and opinions about the European Union (EU), including sources of information about the EU and whether their country had benefited from being an EU member. This round included six general topics: services of general interest, new technologies, ICT (information communication technologies), health, environment, and public safety. In addition, demographic information was obtained. (1) The services of general interest topic included questions assessing accessibility, fairness in pricing, quality of service, clarity of information received, fairness in terms/conditions of contracts, complaints made, and customer service quality for the following services: mobile phone, fixed telephone, electricity supply, gas supply, water supply, postal services, transport services within towns/cities, and rail services between towns/cities. (2) The new technologies topic included questions about developing technologies, and whether they would improve the quality of life in the next 20 years. New technologies listed included solar energy, computers and information technology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, telecommunications, space exploration, the Internet, nuclear energy, nanotechnology, and mobile phones. Respondents were asked to what degree they were interested in, felt informed about, or found difficult to follow or understand politics, science and technology, and health. Further questions focused on biotechnology (broadly including genetic engineering and genetically modified foods). Respondents were asked to assess as either true or false statements such as the following: bacteria exist that live on waste water, genetically modified animals are larger than ordinary ones, and criminal tendencies are genetically inherited. With regard to applications of biotechnology (for food production or therapeutic cloning), respondents were asked whether they had heard of them, to what extent they had found them useful, and to what extent they believed they were a risk, morally acceptable, or encouraged them. Respondents also rated the most important and second most important issue with regard to new technologies. Respondents were then asked whether they tended to agree or disagree with statements regarding the utility, safety, and accuracy of judgment on genetically modified foods or cloning cells. All respondents were asked whether they agreed or disagreed with the statements that they would eat, buy, discuss, or support genetically modified foods, and whether they supported cloning research. Other questions probed whether different groups, such as newspapers, university scientists, government, and the European Commission, were doing a good job with regard to biotechnology. Respondents' level of trust in various groups was also gauged, and respondents also indicated whether they had discussed or read anything regarding biotechnology. Respondents indicated whether they agreed with various statements having to do with the ethical and philosophical aspects of new technology. (3) The ICT (information communication technologies) topic included questions regarding the use of a computer and other media devices (mobile phone, personal organizers, cable/satellite/digital TV). Respondents assessed their use of computers and the Internet to find or keep a job, communicate with family or friends, and to buy products or services. Questions related to computer training, such as the extent of training/ qualifications, self-assessment of skill, and use of the Internet in daily life, were also asked. (4) Questions about the topic of health sought to identify sources of health information, use of the Internet as a health information source, and trust in various sources such as consumer organizations, trade unions, government, and media. (5) Questions about the environment included the extent to which respondents worried about aspects of the environment such as the ozone layer, acid rain, pollution of rivers and lakes, and waste management, and the extent to which they felt informed about these issues. Questions regarding personal efficacy, sources of information, trust in various groups, level of government involvement, and solutions to environmental problems were also posed. (6) Questions about the topic of public safety probed respondents' perceived level of safety, belief in the risk of theft or burglary within the next year, and agreement or disagreement on statements relating to public safety (such as burglar alarms can reduce crime, poverty leads to crime, and organized crime has infiltrated the economy). Demographic and other background information provided includes respondent's age, gender, nationality, marital status, left-right political self-placement, occupation, age at completion of education, household income, region of residence, and subjective size of community.
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Eurobarometer 46.1: Modern Biotechnology, Privacy on Computer Networks, and the Common European Currency, October - November, 1996The 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 Zentralarchiv fuer Empirische Sozialforschung (ZA - Central Archive for Empirical Social Research, University of Cologne) Eurobarometer Survey Series web pages. 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). 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. Main Topics: This round of Eurobarometer surveys queried respondents on standard Eurobarometer measures such as public awareness of and attitudes toward the European Union (EU), and also focused on modern biotechnology, the common European currency, and privacy on computer networks. With respect to modern biotechnology issues, respondents were asked for their opinions regarding which organizations should regulate modern biotechnology, and the likelihood that in the next 20 years biotechnology would lead to events such as reduction of environmental pollution and world hunger, creation of dangerous new diseases, solving more crimes through genetic fingerprinting, curing genetic diseases, and producing `designer babies'. Computer network privacy issues covered respondents' worries about leaving `electronic tracks' of personal identifying information when using computer network services and concerns about the use of information collected from network services for advertising, or by shops, insurance companies and public bodies. Other data protection questions probed for respondents' willingness to use new communication technologies and electronic services, given that someone else might use their personal information; awareness and concern about using a means of payment on networks that might leave tracks; awareness of laws that protect privacy; the importance of EU measures to protect personal information, and the importance of worldwide privacy of personal information. Also covered were respondent interest in on-screen computer or television network technologies and in the capabilities these technologies provide, such as obtaining a medical opinion on a health issue, an on-line guided tour of a museum, receiving instant access to newspapers, taking part in a training program, making it easier to look for a job, taking part in discussion groups, receiving and sending electronic mail, managing bank and financial accounts, and organizing a trip. Common European currency items included whether respondents were for or against one European currency in all member states and why, how well-informed they felt about the common European currency, their knowledge of the conditions member countries must meet in order to join the European Economic and Monetary Union, when notes and coins in the European currency would be introduced, their own country's ability to take part in the Single European Currency in 1999, the consequences of not participating, and what the rate of introduction should be for the common European currency. Questions asked only in Sweden concerned attitudes toward expanding or reducing nuclear power, the respondent's three favourite activities, and highest level of education completed. Demographic items include age, gender, marital status, household size, monthly income, age when stopped full-time education, and occupation.
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Euro-Barometer 31: European Elections 1989 : Pre-election Survey, March-April, 1989The 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 Zentralarchiv fuer Empirische Sozialforschung (ZA - Central Archive for Empirical Social Research, University of Cologne) Eurobarometer Survey Series web pages. 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). 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 (EUROPA Public Opinion Analysis). Special topic modules are carried out at the request of the responsible EU Directorate General. Main Topics: This round of Euro-Barometer surveys had for its major focus issues surrounding the European elections. Questions on political party preferences asked respondents which party they felt the closest to, how they voted in their country's last general election, how they would vote if a general election were held tomorrow, which party they would vote for within their countries, how they planned to vote in the June 1989 elections for the European Paliament, how they viewed the importance of certain national problems, and what they thought about democracy and individual liberties. Respondents were asked about their usage of the media for news, their opinions of an All Europe television channel and what it should offer, and how the single European market planned for in 1992 would affect their lives. The survey also gauged respondents' perceptions of the general attitude of their countries' political parties toward the most important problems facing their nations. Other items included life satisfaction, union membership, smoking habits, views on environmental issues such as nuclear accidents and radioactivity, views regarding cancer, and knowledge of and attitudes toward European Community institutions and policies, including the Common Agricultural Policy. Respondents also were asked to name current topics and events most important for them and to state whether or not certain causes such as the promotion of world peace were worth taking risks and making sacrifices for. The section on cancer queried respondents about their knowledge of the causes of cancer and medical recommendations for its early detection and prevention, and asked respondents if they followed or intended to follow those recommendations. Women were questioned about specific kinds of cancer detection examinations as well. Additional information was gathered on family income, number of persons and children under 15 residing in the home, size of locality, region of residence, occupation of the head of household, and the respondent's age, sex, occupation, education, religion, religiosity, subjective social class standing, and left-right political self-placement.