Negative reaction to EU expansion

News

An internet survey run by the University of Nottingham’s Institute for Enterprise and Innovation (UNIEI) has found that smaller UK businesses are suffering from the EU’s expansion.

The results of the UK Business Barometer (UKBB) showed that 52 per cent of smaller business owners believed that the addition of 10 countries to the EU had not opened up new markets or presented new opportunities for their firms.

In terms of possibilities for supply, only four per cent of the respondents were positive about the new markets, while 58 per cent said there had been no new opportunities.

According to the UNIEI, when a similar survey was conducted in May 2004 at the onset of the expansion to include countries such as Hungary and Poland, businesses were more optimistic about the market increase.

One hundred and nineteen businesses took part in the UKBB survey.