The results of the survey, which served as the basis for discussions among EU European Affairs Ministers in Copenhagen, reflect growing concern and frustration. Only in the Czech Republic and France is skepticism about enlargement even more pronounced. The situation is quite different in Scandinavia and the Baltic states: Sweden, Denmark, Lithuania, and Finland are home to the most ardent supporters.
Concerns about migration and costs dominate
The reasons for rejection are manifold, but some concerns dominate the debate. Across the EU, respondents cite uncontrolled migration, corruption, organized crime, and terrorism as their biggest concerns. Added to this are fears about the costs for taxpayers. These fears seem to resonate particularly strongly in Austria, where the issue of migration has been the focus of political debate in recent years.
Interestingly, rejection is evident even for the most popular candidate countries. Not a single country achieves majority approval in Austria. With 40 percent approval each, Ukraine, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina top the list, followed by Serbia (39 percent) and North Macedonia (34 percent). At the bottom of the scale are Moldova, Albania, Georgia, Kosovo, and Turkey, with the latter receiving the lowest approval rating at only 19 percent.
Plakolm criticizes long accession processes
European Affairs Minister Claudia Plakolm (ÖVP) was not surprised by the results of the survey, as reported by ORF. She sees the causes in the lengthy and often opaque accession processes. “The process has been dragging on for over 20 years without any concrete results,” said Plakolm. These delays not only undermine faith in EU enlargement but also hurt the mood in the accession countries themselves. Criticism of the long waiting times is not new and is shared by other political actors.
The Eurobarometer survey and its significance
The Eurobarometer survey is an important opinion poll series conducted by the European Commission. It is carried out regularly to gauge public opinion on a wide range of EU issues. The survey results are of great importance for political decision-making. In this case, they serve as a guide for European ministers in the debate on the EU’s future enlargement policy. The latest figures show that EU enlargement remains a sensitive issue that is perceived very differently in the individual member states.
The Western Balkans issue
The “deterioration in sentiment in the accession countries in the Western Balkans” mentioned by Minister Plakolm is a key concern in EU policy. The EU summit in Brussels in June 2024 reaffirmed the need to accelerate the accession process for the Western Balkan countries. Critics warn that stagnation could make the region more vulnerable to the influence of other global players, particularly Russia and China. The EU is therefore trying to maintain confidence in the accession process through increased financial support and political signals.
The survey results illustrate that the EU faces the challenge of convincing its own citizens of the necessity and benefits of enlargement, while at the same time supporting the accession candidates in implementing necessary reforms. For Austria, this means finding a balance between the publicly expressed skepticism of the population and the geostrategic interests of the EU.