“These new lids in the bottle are engrossed by me!”
“Is the cucumber no longer curved? It’s very ridiculous!”
“The regeneration method ruins our farmers.”
“They are wasting our taxes.”
Such sentences are common in the Austrian population. The relationship between Austria and the EU has long been characterized by suspicion. It is often supported by limited knowledge and the tendency to blame the people of Brussels. It was my first time when I visited Brussels for the Youth4Regions program. EU’s heart -What do I expect? Despite my interest in politics, my views on the EU were ambiguous. It was like a distant institution that most people never stepped on. I wanted to understand how it works more clearly.
Before going, I looked back on why many Austrians were distrustful of the EU. I generally believe that the EU will act on citizens’ best profits, but many others feel different. A survey conducted in Austria, June 2024, showed that 76 % of respondents believe that the country should stay in the European Union. However, at the same time in 2023, only 42 % of the Austrian, which regarded the EU membership as some positive, was Austrian. Many other countries such as Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, and France have experienced similar trends. The UK was the first country of leaving the EU in 2020.
In Austria, emotions are especially reflected in the growing popularity of the Liberal Party (FPö). Herbert Kickle, the head of the party, does not want Austria to leave the EU, but often describes the EU as a threat. Before the European election, one of their posters said, “Stop the EU’s madness.” FPö won 25.4 % in the European election and 28.8 % in the national election on September 29.
So why is the EU unpopular in many member countries, including Austria?
Sorry and how to improve it
Austria joined the EU in 1995, but still fought with concerns about its sovereignty. Many people feel that the EU membership threatens its neutrality. As a person who grew up on the EU, I do not feel this strong. Austrian political landscapes, especially FPö, have nurtured this skepticism by framing the EU as the external force that ignores the reality of the region.
While staying in Brussels, I visited the institution, heard a press conference, and talked to the EU staff who showed deep knowledge and abilities. In the session on the unity policy, I noticed that the EU provided local projects, but people often do not recognize it. This experience helped to understand the details that are often overlooked.
You can still see why some EU regulations (abolished in 2009), such as the infamous cucumber curvature rules, look absurd. Such rules aim to secure standardization, but the reasons behind them are often unknown to the general public. The EU can be better in explaining the decisions to prevent poor communication. This is probably the key to changing the story. The EU must be more transparent for the reason why specific regulations are being implemented and how they can make profits to individual members. Directly involved with the local community, understanding concerns, and demonstrating profits can help reduce the sense of alienation.
Education also plays an important role. Many Austrians understand how the EU works. Providing more accessible resources can help the EU prove that it is not an outdated bureaucracy, but a collection of a country that is cooperating for shared goals.
