The State of the European Union. The European Parliament faces its most important elections yet

THE STATE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION 134 more power in sensitive areas such as social policy, taxation and security in exchange for a greater degree of protection at the European level. That a society would be willing to transfer competences of this importance is a clear indi- cation that for Spaniards the EU is a byword for guarantees and security. Viewpoints such as the support expressed in this survey for a commu- nity mechanism for curtailing tax evasion such as a common consolidated corporate tax base constitute clear indicators that Spaniards view the EU as a institution with the power and rel- evance it takes to be a key player on the world stage. Respondents’ support for policy initia- tives in other areas such as social measures at the EU level reflect a trust in the EU to protect European citizens and their favourable opinion regarding the creation of unified security forces likewise demonstrates a deep commitment to the European project. The findings of this study underscore the positive light in which the people of Spain view the possibility of the EU playing a greater role in a wide range of policy-making areas that have a direct bearing on the welfare of citizens and fur- thermore indicate that they perceive the EU as the institution with the legitimacy to carry such policies out.