Europeans and Globalization

The phenomenon of globalization (of trade, securities etc.) is not a recent one, but the use of the actual term has increased enormously over the last 15 years, with varying connotations depending on the country and the commentator. What is the attitude to globalization in Europe, a distinctive kind of region, since it is integrated economically and, at least in part, politically?
Basing their arguments on the findings of a recent survey, Elvire Fabry and Frédéric Allemand present the general perception Europeans have of globalization, depending on country of origin and also on age. They show that Europeans share quite a similar view of the phenomenon, regarding it as synonymous with increased trading relations between member states and greater mobility within the Union. They do not find any major distinctions in attitudes to globalization between the different age groups, though young people turn out to be a little more optimistic than their elders. They also analyse its place in public debate (the Left/Right divide, the influence of civil society), mentioning the particular positions of France and Germany, countries with a distinctly greater awareness of the subject. Lastly, they discuss a feature that is dominant in Europe where globalization is concerned: the call for regulation against a background of the strengthening of regional solidarities but not of protectionism.