| Biggest hope | Biggest fear | What they say about themselves | What others say about them | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | EU forgets about Haider | Mass immigration from East | Badly misunderstood | Watch those neo-Nazis |
| Belgium | Brussels as capital of new superpower | Brussels secedes, Belgium disintegrates | We have lots of good ideas | Tiresome zealots |
| Britain | EU becomes giant free-trade area | Britain submerged into European superstate | We are the only country that obeys the rules | Make your mind up or leave; America's stooges |
| Denmark | EU integration stops | Welfare state dismantled by EU | Nobody understands us | Please stop having referendums |
| Finland | EU security arm ends Russian threat | EU-Russian antagonism | We're no trouble, not like those other Nordics | No trouble, nice phones |
| France | EU as French-led superpower; humiliates US | EU as German-led superpower; humiliates France | We invented the EU and we are the only people who understand it | Arrogant |
| Germany | Federal Europe solves 'German problem' | Popular backlash in Fermany against euro or enlargement | We pay all the bills; we should have more say | Alarmingly ambitious |
| Greece | EU admits Cyprus, screws Turkey | EU admits Turkey, screws Greece | We are Europe's eastern outpost | Levantine rule-breakers |
| Ireland | Continued boom on back of EU | EU ends Irish neutrality | We are the EU's economic stars | They owe it all to us |
| Italy | Totally federal Europe | Kicked off top table for being too flaky | We are Europe's true believers | Dodgy politics, dodgy finances |
| Luxembourg | More EU jobs | EU ends tax-haven status | This is our stage | Too powerful for a micro-state |
| Netherlands | Dutch model adopted by EU | Squeezed between France and Germany | We are founder members; we deserve more respect | Know-it-alls |
| Portugal | Catches up with EU economically | Small countries marginalised | Don't confuse us with Spain | Poor but honest |
| Spain | Lots more EU money | No more EU money | We are one of the EU's leading nations | Greedy |
| Sweden | EU becomes more honest and Swedish | Sweden becomes more corrupt and European | We are the truest democrats | Self-righteous |