In 2007, the European Commission (Directorate General Education and Culture) commissioned a quantitative Eurobarometer study to measure public opinion on culture and values within Europe, in order to ascertain both opinions and behaviour in this area. A survey covering 26 000 citizens in 27 Member States took place in February and March 2007. The objectives of the study were in particular to analyze:

• How Europeans conceive of the idea of culture and its importance to them.
• Europeans’ involvement in cultural and artistic activities, the role of the Internet in this, barriers to cultural access and views on the trend towards free cultural access.
• Issues of cultural exchange, specifically its value to society, the extent to which cross-cultural contact already occurs, the willingness of Europeans to meet people from other countries and to learn a new language, ways in which cross-cultural understanding can be enhanced and actors best placed to implement these measures.
• Interest in culture both in Europe and beyond; views on whether there is indeed a European culture, its characteristics and the effects upon it of globalisation.
• Opinion on key values to be preserved and reinforced in society as well as whether these are seen as particularly European in nature.

For each of these points, the study analyses the results in terms of the European average, before also noting results by country and by socio-demographic variables where relevant. The Europe-wide survey reveals that two-thirds of Europeans feel that they share elements of a collective culture. Nearly nine out of ten Europeans say that culture, cultural exchanges and intercultural dialogue should have an important place in the EU. Findings were presented at the first European Culture Forum in Lisbon on 26 - 28 September 2007, which brought business, cultural operators and policy makers together to explore the importance of culture.
The main findings of the survey include:

• 89% perceive a greater need for 'culture' to be promoted at EU-level;
• 88% feel that cultural exchanges are important, and they call on the European Union to facilitate cultural exchanges for Europeans, and so promote intercultural dialogue;
• 76% of the respondents consider that Europe's cultural diversity is the defining characteristic of Europe, and that this diversity actually helps to increase the impact of European culture;
• 58% of respondents were positive about the effects of globalisation on European culture, saying that it will give new dynamism to European culture, thereby extending the influence of Europe in the world;

For the European Commission, these survey results give clear support for its recent policy statement, in the form of the Communication on a European agenda for the culture, in which Member States were encouraged to recognise the importance of culture for strengthening of intercultural dialogue, driving creativity and innovation in European enterprises, and the relations of the EU with the rest of the world.

Available in English, French, German.

http://ec.europa.eu/culture/eac/sources_info/studies/eurobarometer_en.html