The Associated Press

Support among Europeans living in candidate countries on joining the European Union (news - web sites) was high as two thirds approved of membership, a survey released Monday said.


The study, which was the first EU survey of its kind carried out in all 13 candidate countries vying to join the EU, found that 65 percent would vote for membership if a referendum were held now in their countries.

"Citizens of the candidate countries, in their overwhelming majority, are looking forward to their country joining the EU and to enjoying the benefits membership can bring to their daily lives," Guenter Verheugen, the EU's enlargement commissioner, said.

The report found that 52 percent of 1,000 people questioned in each country had a positive image of the 15-nation bloc.

"This is somewhat better than findings among EU citizens, where on average 42 percent have a positive image and 18 percent have a negative image," the survey said.

Romania, which is not expected to be in the first wave of countries to enter the EU in 2004, scored the highest support for membership, with 80 percent of the public saying membership was a "good thing."

The lowest support for joining was recorded in Estonia with 33 percent.

Knowledge of the EU and its institutions, including the European Parliament and its executive Commission, scored low, with only 22 percent of those asked knowing "quite a lot" about the EU and how it works. This compares to a similar number_ 21 percent_ recorded within the EU.

However, only 47 percent of those asked said they would benefit from EU membership, and 32 percent said they would suffer. The main concerns were higher unemployment and fewer rights in a union of 28 nations.

Malta, Cyprus, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Estonia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria and Romania are in negotiations to join the EU.

Turkey is also a candidate but has yet to meet the EU's basic criteria on democracy and human rights before it can open talks.

The EU has said it is likely to start admitting new members in 2004.

The survey, carried out last October, had a margin of error of 3.2 percent.