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The survey, which was conducted during April, reveals a significant drop in the level of support for the EU as the referendum approaches. A similar survey conducted last year found that 72% supported the UK staying in the EU, while 24% said they wanted to leave.
It also sheds light on some of the issues affecting engineers connected with the referendum and EU membership.
Stephen Tetlow, chief executive of the institution, said: “Whatever the outcome of the referendum, the government needs to ensure the result does not damage the engineering and manufacturing sectors. Government must focus on the engineering issues likely to be affected. The most pressing are improving access to markets and people with the right skills, ensuring open access to foreign investment and growth in research funding, and ensuring the UK can continue to play a leading role in influencing European codes and standards.
“The results of this survey show that the majority of our members support the UK remaining in the EU. However, there is a clear desire to see less bureaucracy from Brussels.”
Do you support the UK’s ongoing membership of the EU?
Yes: 56%
No: 27%
Don’t know: 17%
49% of mechanical engineers believe that leaving the EU would make the UK a less attractive European base to global manufacturers, while 11% think that leaving would make the country more attractive
64% believe the uncertainty about the UK’s membership of the EU is having a negative effect on UK manufacturing; 22% think it is making no difference
46% say that EU membership has given UK manufacturing and engineering better access to markets; 33% say the EU has provided better access to research and development funds
However, 47% say the EU has imposed new bureaucracy, while 28% say it has slowed down decision-making
46% believe that leaving the EU would make it hard to draw up long-term plans about trade with EU markets; 33% think that trade within their sector would not be affected