The Eurobarometer 2002 survey on 'Europeans and biotechnology' reveals that despite the impression that Europeans are sceptical about this technology, the majority are optimistic that biotechnology will improve our way of life.
The findings show that 43 per cent of Europeans are optimistic, 17 per cent pessimistic, with 12 per cent believing it would make no difference and as many as 27 per cent sitting on the fence, in the 'don't know' category.
In the period 1999-2002, optimism in biotechnology has increased to the level seen in the early 1990s after a decade of continuous decline. Europeans continue to distinguish between medical applications, for which support is clear, and agricultural and food applications, which are not widely supported.
However, there is a change from the downward trend in attitudes to GM food over the past six years. While on average GM food is still not supported, in many countries attitudes have become more positive since the last survey was conducted in 1999. While the cloning of human cells and tissues is on average supported in all EU countries, the exploitation of genetic information is a source of concern for many Europeans.
The results on the acceptability of various uses of genetic data confirm that this is a controversial issue where public concerns need to be taken into account. On the one hand, medical applications of such tests for the detection of diseases attract majority support. On the other hand, for tests used in the public domain for crime detection, the European public is split - 43 per cent in favour and 44 per cent against. Access to genetic information by government agencies and by commercial insurance is widely seen as unacceptable. Across the 15 EU states there is a North/South divide in the willingness to allow access to genetic information. Greece, Spain and Portugal are more relaxed than Austria, Sweden, Finland, Germany and Denmark.
This fifth Eurobarometer survey on biotechnology and the life sciences follows those conducted in 1991, 1993, 1996, 1999 and in 2002. The survey is based on a representative sample of 16,500 respondents, approximately 1000 in each EU member state. The survey was conducted by Public Opinion Analysis Unit of the European Commission with the analysis and report prepared by the 'Life Sciences in European Society' research project led by George Gaskell at the London School of Economics.