Eurobarometer 479 in all the EU Member States that have yet to adopt the euro

Introducing the euro is seen as positive for the euro area countries…

A majority of respondents in all the EU Member States that have yet to adopt the euro thinks that the common currency has had a positive impact on those countries that already use it, the latest Flash Eurobarometer shows. In total, 56% of respondents across the seven Member States (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Sweden) share this view, up one percentage point over the last year and up a total of four percentage points since 2016.

This view is strongest in Hungary (70%), Romania (62%), Poland (54%) and Bulgaria (53%), and with lower majorities in Sweden (44%), Czechia (49%) and Croatia (48%).

…but views vary widely on introducing the euro in the own country

There is, however, an almost even split on whether respondents are personally in favour of introducing the euro in their own country. Public support for introducing the euro now stands at 49%, two percentage points lower than in 2018.

A majority of respondents in Hungary (66%), Romania (61%) and Croatia (49%) is in favour of introducing the euro, while a majority of 60% is against in Czechia and Sweden, 51% in Poland, and 48% in Bulgaria. Support has risen most over the last year in Hungary (+7 percentage points) and decreased the most in Romania (- 8 percentage points).

Analysis of the data shows that respondents who feel informed about the euro are more likely to support its introduction (57% compared with 43% of those who do not feel informed).

…and prevail on their own country not being ready

The feeling of not being ready, however, is strong in all seven countries, but has decreased considerably in Hungary (65%) and Romania (56%), by respectively 8 and 13 percentage points over the last year. Now, 72% across all seven Member States do not think their country is ready for introducing the euro, while 23% think they are.

While more respondents in Sweden (47%) believe that their country is unlikely to ever adopt the euro, a five-year timeframe for euro adoption was seen as most likely by 58% of respondents in Croatia, 49% in Bulgaria and 41% in Romania. By contrast, a 10-year time frame was seen as most likely in Hungary (44%), Poland (41%) and Czechia (38%).

While slightly more respondents felt that they would personally benefit rather than lose out from their country’s adoption of the euro (47% vs. 43%), more thought that the euro would have negative rather than positive consequences for their countries (47% vs 45%). Nevertheless, in Hungary (56%) and Romania (52%), a clear majority of respondents expected positive consequences for their country.

The Eurobarometer survey was conducted in April 2019 and involved over 7000 telephone interviews.

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Flash Eurobarometer 479