Furthermore, it seems, the number of Europeans who distrust the European Union has doubled over the past six years to a record high, even if that is an inflated figure. The year 2006 was untypically high in the "distrust" stakes.

Nevertheless, it is the case that the level of distrust in the EU has increased markedly. In 2005, about 50 percent of people would admit to trusting the EU. Currently, this is down to about 30 percent.

But what we are not seeing in the media reports is the other side of the equation – the national picture. Over the same time span, it has trust in parliaments starting at 38 percent declining to 26, and trust in national governments at 31 percent down to 25 percent (see chart - click to expand).

What is more, the decline curve mirrors the EU curve, which says two things. Firstly, over time more people trust the EU than they do their national institutions and, as trust in the EU declines, so it does in those national institutions.

In the UK, though, things are different. Eurobarometer has the 20 percent trusting the EU, against the 31 percent EU-wide average. In the UK, 25 percent trust their parliaments and 22 percent their governments, as opposed to the EU-wide averages of 26 and 25 percent respectively.

What that tells us is that the Brits are not that big on trust. Although they trust the EU less than their continental neighbours, like those neighbours, they also trust their own institutions less. And, when the "tend not to trust" parameter is measured, 76 percent of British distrust their own government, compared with 71 percent who distrust the EU.

Hilariously, though (well, I'm easily pleased), 40 percent of Norwegians trust the EU – nine points above the EU average. The obvious inference is that, if you want people to trust the EU, make sure their countries are not members.

Another aspect of this is the image question. Only three percent of EU-wide respondents have a "very positive" view of the EU – exactly the same as the UK. Only 18 percent of Brits are "fairly positive" against the EU average of 27 percent. "Very negative" in the EU is seven percent, against the UK which musters 16 percent. Cyprus, however, breaks the bank with 29 percent, even beating Greece's 19 percent.

Whether the Eurobarometer findings are reliable is always difficult to judge but, just supposing we had a referendum – these surveys provide a mine of information on which to base a campaign. Just one example says that, when comparing what our own government says with what the EU has to offer, we are more likely to disbelieve our government. The European Commission has a fractional advantage in the propaganda stakes. 

Turning to more general issues, respondents are asked to rate their most pressing concerns and there we seen across the board, unemployment is nominated as the number one issue (see chart above – click to enlarge), at 51 percent of people thinking it the most important.

For the UK, number two is immigration and only number three is the economic situation.

Interestingly, climate change barely registers. The EU average is four percent, shared by the UK. Only in Germany (ten percent), Sweden (19 percent) and Malta (22 percent) does the ranking get into two figures. Italy and Ireland have only one percent of their respondents thinking this is the most important issue. Four countries have no-one prepared to rate climate change as the most important of their issues.

Perhaps significantly, when people are asked for the most important issues affecting the EU, only three percent of the respondents nominate climate change. Clearly, climate change is still seen as a national issue.

In referendum terms, the unemployment card is likely to ensure that the FUD-merchants are likely to maximise the risk of job losses. The outers, on the other hand, would be more inclined to play the immigration card – so the net effect could be neutral.

This is not the case with those who think the EU makes it easier to do business in Europe. A clear majority (57 percent) think it does, compared with 31 percent who don't. This is very close to the EU average at 62 and 28 percent respectively.

But there is one fascinating insight in the detailed report. The UK produces twice the EU average, at 20 percent, of people "very satisfied" with the life they lead. Add the "fairly satisfied" and you have 90 percent of the population more or less satisfied with the life they lead, compared with the EU average of 75 percent.

Compare that with the 36 percent of Greeks or the 33 percent of Portuguese, and there is a long way to go before we start taking to the streets. But then, Norway comes out at 98 percent in the satisfied stakes, so there is something to be said for not being in the EU after all.

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