WITH the euro now 53 days old, Britain's businesses are still divided on whether the UK should join, according to research by NOP.

Differing opinions were clearly shown with four out of ten new businesses wanting the country to stay outside the euro zone matched by an equal proportion believing Britain should join at some point.

Nearly a fifth have still not made up their minds.

But there was more agreement on the issue of whether there should be a standard level of VAT for all products and services across the European Union.

On this question, six out of ten business start-up entrepreneurs agreed that there should be.

Asurprise finding by the poll was that of all firms in the import and export business, only just over half (58 per cent) believe that the EMU will have an impact on their business, though three out of four trade with EU countries.

Other key findings included:

Four out of ten new business- owners in England and Wales believe the economic condition of the country will deteriorate over the next 12 months, but one in five (21 per cent) thinks it will get better.

Only three out of ten import/export businesses gave any thought to the implications of EMU before setting up their operation.

Sonya Graneek, NOP Financial associate director, said: "There is a large and consistent minority opposed to entry, around 40 per cent.

"The lack of enthusiasm for EMU could be due to the fact that a significant portion of entrepreneurs do not consider it will have any effect on their business."

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