INDEPENDENT RESEARCH AGENCY

How Russians feel about EU

A country’s development success is directly connected to stability of its economic relationship with the country’s immediate neighbors. The European Union is one of Russia’s most important foreign trade partners. About 50% of Russia’s foreign trade traffic fell to share of EU in 2013.

Bashkirova and partners independent research company conducted opinion survey amongst Russians on what they thought about the European Union. We should note the survey was conducted some months ago, i.e. before the Ukraine related crisis and the time when sanctions in relation of Russia were imposed.

  

The most of Russians look at EU neutrally, where 44% of respondents said so. About a third of Russian residents perceive positively our Western neighbors. The fifth part of participants shows negative feelings towards European countries. Today, after the foreign policy situation got aggravated, the number of Europe hostile people is likely to have increased substantially. Want to know by how much?  We will make sure to answer this question in our follow-up press releases.

 

In January the most of respondents (42% ) appeared to be sure relationships between the parties are positive. A third was considering these relationships to be bad, and about the same percentage of people did not know.

  

38% of the interviewed think Russia should work together with the European countries in the area of commerce (it’s also today that EU steps out as a key commercial partner of Russia). Around the same number of respondents express approval of cooperation in the sphere of tourism (in time of economy stabilization in 2000-s travelling to Europe made very popular with Russians). Additional 20% believe our countries should also cooperate on other directions, which could contribute to Russia’s economic development (credits, technology transfers, educational programs etc.) 

  

Some months ago a half of Russians (49% of respondents) thought good relationships with EU countries were important for the Russian Federation. A third was keeping to the opposite opinion. 20% of respondents did not know. You will soon be informed from our further publications on how our people’s answers have changed, if at all, three months after.

 

The study was conducted in January 2013 based on random route sample (18+) using face-to-face interviews in place of residence. Altogether 1500 respondents in 8 federal districts, 100 settlements, 200 sampling points - have been interviewed. The sample error makes up ± 2,5%.

 

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