European Union - are we only halfway in?

[xyzzyplugh]

I thought we were full members. Is this why it's not called economic community anymore?; Why, for example (of the many anomalies abounding), are our good people having to 'smuggle' tobacco home due to the fabulous difference in prices between two neighbouring 'parts of the union'? I.E. Britain and France.

[spanish]

WE ARE IN THE EU, BUT WERE NOT IN THINGS LIKE THE SINGLE CURRENCY! BRITAIN HAVE BEEN QUITE SNEAKY IN THE FACT THAT WE USUALLY HAVE AN OPT IN CLAUSE OR AN OPT OUT CLAUSE!! ANY THING WE DONT JOIN (IE SINGLE CURRENCY AGAIN) WE DONT HAVE ANY SAY IN CONTROLLING. THE REASON FOR THE CHANGE FROM THE EC TO THE EU IS BECAUSE OF THE TREATY OF AMSTERDAM. ANYTHING PRE AMSTERDAM IS EC ANYTHING POST IS EU, ALTHOUGH UNFORTUNATELY THE EU STILL CONFUSES ITSELF ABOUT THIS ALSO LIKE MOST OF THE THINGS THEY DECIDE!!! THE WHOLE PRINCIPLE OF THE EU SEEMS TO BE DO IT AND WAIT AND SEE IF IT WORKS!!! (AND CROSS FINGERS, TOES, ARMS ETC!!)

[spanish]

ALSO UNFORTUNATELY WE DONT HAVE ANYTHING TO MAKE THE PRICES THE SAME OR SET THE SAME TAXES HENCE THE DIFFERENCE IN PRICE! THE ONLY THING WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO IS PUT AN EXTRA TAX ON FOREIGN GOODS OR CREATE A TAX THAT WOULD ALIENATE FOREIGN GOODS AND FAVOUR OUR OWN! THERE IS MORE TO IT BUT THATS A GOOD EXAMPLE! UNFORTUNATELY LABOURS BARMY ARMY SEEM TO WANT TO HIDE A TAX ON ANYTHING THINKING WE ARE TO STUPID NOT TO NOTICE BLAME THEM!!! AND THERE ISNT ACTUALLY ANY LAW SAYING YOU CANNOT BRING QUANTITIES BACK THAT I KNOW OF! THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THE GOVT IN THIS COUNTRY DOES THAT IS UNLAWFUL UNFORTUNATELY PEOPLE CAN NOT AFFORD OR EVEN THINK THEY CAN CHALLENGE THE DECISIONS!!