Summary : This is the second in a series of reports issued by ABE, an initiative by the major crop biotechnology companies in Europe. ABE aim is to provide factual information which will help to facilitate an open debate on how biotechnology will be applied in agriculture in ways that society finds acceptable. Some say that European society has rejected the use of biotechnology outside the laboratory, at least for the time being. However, the situation for the public at large is much less clearly defined. Indeed, independent research shows quite consistently that most people feel too poorly informed to come to a sensible conclusion. It is also said that there is a fundamental difference between the public in Europe and North America: the one rejecting a technology which the other willingly embraces. Again, things are not so simple, with research showing that people's basic attitudes and concerns are remarkably similar. In this report, it will cover some of the evidence behind these findings. Other important conclusions we reach from these sources include: 1) Most people are not anti-science, and there is every reason to believe that they will accept modern biotechnology, properly applied; 2) although people express an overwhelming desire for more information, greater knowledge does not necessarily equal greater acceptance. This reflects the lack of trust and confidence by many in the institutions of modern society. Acceptance of crop biotechnology will increase as people become more familiar with applications and more confident in the food supply chain and government's role in consumer protection. There is clear evidence that consumers in many countries already view some applications in a more favourable light.