EEF Europe Survey Topline Results

Technical details

• Results are based on 500 interviews with Chief Executives, Managing Directors and Board members of EEF member companies.
• Interviews were conducted by telephone between 3rd and 19th January 2001.
• Quotas were set based on the know profile of EEF member companies, by company size and location.
• Data is unweighted.
• Where results do not sum to 100, this may be due to multiple responses, computer rounding or the exclusion of don't knows/not stated.
• An asterisk (*) represents a value of less than one half of one percent.
• Results are based on all respondents unless otherwise stated.
• Trend data is provided for some questions. This data is taken from the following surveys.
  • FT 1998 - 753 telephone interviews conducted with UK businesses between 9-25 September 1998. The comparative data given is for the 227 interviews carried out among manufacturing companies employing more than 11 employees.
  • FT 1999 - 1,001 telephone interviews conducted with UK businesses between 29 September and 20 October 1999. The comparative data given is for the 141 interviews carried out among manufacturing companies employing more than 11 employees.
  • Times/MORI Poll - 1,038 face-to-face interviews with the general public 18+, conducted between 7th to 12th December 2000.
  • CBI 1999 - 1,284 postal questionnaires sent to chairmen/chief executives of British companies returned between 25th May and 5th July 1999. The comparative data given is for the 166 questionnaires returned by EEF members.

Topline findings

International Trade

Q1 Do you think the economic condition of the country will improve, stay the same, or get worse over the next 12 months?

Q2 Over the next 12 months, do you think that your organisation's business will improve, stay the same, or get worse?

I would like to ask you some questions about your company's current trading practices

Q3 In which parts of the world, if at all, do you see your company's main growth prospects over the next five years?

Q4 And from which parts of the world, if at all, do you see the main competitive threats to your company?

Q5 In which, if any, foreign currencies are you currently invoicing customers?

Q5b Bearing in mind the size of your business, would you describe the amount you are invoicing in this currency to be significant?

Q6 In which, if any, foreign currencies are you currently purchasing goods or services from suppliers?

Q6b Bearing in mind the size of your business, would you describe the amount you are purchasing in this currency to be significant?

Q7 The last three years have seen a significant rise in the pound's value against the euro.

Some companies have employed strategies to minimise exposure to the effects of the high pound. For each of the following strategies could you tell me whether your company has employed this strategy or not?

Base: All those currently invoicing or purchasing in any foreign currency (367)

Q8 Over the next five years do you expect the proportion of invoices your company issues in foreign currencies to increase, decrease or stay the same?

Q9 And over the next five years do you expect the proportion of goods and services your company purchases in foreign currencies to increase, decrease or stay the same?

Q10 What proportion of your company's production currently takes place outside of the UK?

Q11 And, looking ahead, what proportion of your companies production would you expect to take place outside of the UK in five years time?

The European Union

I would now like to ask you some questions about the European Union

Q12 Please can you tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statement?

It is important for our business that the UK continues to be part of the European Union

Q13 In what ways, if any, do you feel your company benefits from the UK's membership of the European Union?

Q14 I am going to read out a number of policy areas.

For each that I read out could you tell me, from the point of view of your business, whether you think the European Union, as opposed to national government, should be more involved, less involved, or is currently involved at about the right amount?

Q15 I am now going to read out another list of policy areas.

For each one I read out, could you tell me whether, from the point of view of your business you feel it should be treated primarily at EU level, primarily at national level or whether you feel it should be dealt with at both national and EU levels?

European Single Currency

I would now like to ask you some questions about the Single European Currency

Q16 Which one of the following statements best reflects your point of view?

Q17 I am going to read out a number of things which could happen in the future.

For each one that I read out, please tell me, from the point of view of your company, whether it would make you more likely to support or oppose the Single European Currency, or whether it would make no difference?

Q18 If all your concerns were to be met about the economic consequences for your company of joining the Single European Currency, would you, in principle, support or oppose the UK's entry into the European Monetary Union?

About your company

Finally, I would like to ask you some questions about your company

Q19 What is your company's main area of activity?

Q20 How many people does your company employ in the UK?

Q21 What proportion of your annual UK turnover is accounted for by overseas exports?

Q22 What proportion of your annual UK turnover is accounted for by exports to the European Union?

Q23 Is your company...

See press release of this survey