A Euronews survey has highlighted deep divisions in European countries over the EU and revealed that many people think that Brexit has already happened.
ADVERTISEMENTAlmost one-third of French and Italian people think the UK has already left the European Union, according to a Euronews survey.
The survey, conducted for Euronews by Populus, showed that not everyone in the continent is paying attention to Brexit.
Some 28% of French and Italian people think the UK has already left the EU, it showed. This figure dropped to 12% in Germany and 2% in the UK itself.
The poll, conducted among nationally representative samples of at least 1,000 adults in each of the four countries, also revealed how optimistic Europeans are about life after Brexit.
When asked about the potential impact of Brexit on the UK, the EU and the respondent's own country, people were unsure about what the ramifications might be.
However, on balance they think Brexit will do more harm than good.
Some 59% of people in Germany believe Brexit will have a damaging effect on the UK, compared to 41% in France, 38% in Italy and 34% in the UK.
Reflecting the ongoing debate in the UK over Brexit, the Euronews survey also showed that 34% of Britons think negatively about the EU, while 36% are positive and 30% consider themselves neutral.
Opinion in other European countries is also split over the bloc.
In France, just two out of five people polled feel positive towards the EU, compared to 54% of Italians and 56% of Germans.