EU, Britons and the role of skepticism

Geographic and historic features make Britain the most Euroskeptic nation in the whole of the European Union (EU) and one that challenges European integration. A 2008 European Commission (EC) poll showed only 30 percent Britons thought it was a good idea to join the EU, just 1 percent more than Latvians, when the EU average was 52 percent.

While 54 percent Europeans believe their countries have benefited from EU membership, only 36 percent Britons think so. Britons' confidence in the EC is the lowest among all EU members. They beat the Latvians here: less than a quarter of them trust the EC, compared with about 38 percent Latvians and 47 percent in all EU countries. And while 52 percent Europeans trust the European Parliament, only 27 percent Britons do so.

To date, many Britons still believe EU membership did not facilitate cross-border investment and trade and the EU is only a "producer of red tapes". The majority view among Britons seems to be: If we could opt out the EU and get rid of the shackles of Brussels (EU headquarters), we would maintain our prosperity as an international trade and investment center.