More than 50% of young Frenchmen support the EU enlargement process and the accession of Bulgaria and Romania, a Eurobarometer research shows.

However, the public support for the enlargement process decreases as the age of the polled increases, according to the data.

The reason for this negative trend is that older people are afraid of unemployment and any negative economic developments related to the accession of new member states.

Yet, nearly 70% of respondents have opined Bulgaria could be allowed to join the Union "in a couple of years" or "later". Sofia and Bucharest anticipate a confirmation of its 1 January 2007 date in two months.

French society seems to be quite divided over the issue of enlargement, as evident from the responses on the ten newcomers. A total of 49% said their entry was a bad thing, while almost the same - 47% - believe on the contrary.

French public support for Romania's accession reaches 41%, the survey says. In view of Turkey's accession, however, 38% of the respondents said they did not want the Muslim country ever in the bloc - 23% voted for its accession "later", 32% - in ten to fifteen years or more.

The survey was conducted in the period January 16-23 among 2001 respondents over 15 years of age.

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