ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Only 42 per cent of Europeans say they trust the European Union, according to a new opinion poll from Eurobarometer, down six percentage points in six months.

The survey also found that fewer than half (49 per cent) of Europe's citizens see their country's membership of the EU as a positive thing, however 75 per cent said stronger coordination between states will help weather the economic storm.

Analysis of the report does seem to reflect a crisis of faith in the EU - even prospective members are having doubts, with just 27 per cent of Turks saying they trust Brussels.

For the first time the study included Iceland, which is currently in talks to join the EU. There 35 per cent said they trusted the EU, while only 29 per cent thought Iceland would benefit from being in the EU.

The future, according to Europeans, is bleak. Most (55 per cent) believe the worst of the economic crisis is yet to come. A strong 71 per cent of those surveyed agreed reforms which benefit future generations should be pursued even if it means sacrifices for the present generation. But only 46 per cent say they are personally willing to reduce their living standards in order to guarantee the future of the next generations.