Quizzes & Puzzles21 mins ago
50 years of the EU?
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1 257203,00.html
Well obviously it's not 50 years of the EU but the steps leading to the current EU. What would UK be like now if we had not joined at all? Has it done any good? or has it just overlayed us with a huge layer of "snout in the trough" expenses and general corruption?
Well obviously it's not 50 years of the EU but the steps leading to the current EU. What would UK be like now if we had not joined at all? Has it done any good? or has it just overlayed us with a huge layer of "snout in the trough" expenses and general corruption?
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After World War I the Treaty of Versailles demanded reparations of Germany. This wasn't really a fair conclusion and led directly to the the Second World War.
After WWII, they were not about to repeat the same mistake again, and the plan to stablise and secure lasting peace in Europe led to the fomation of the EEC.
In that regard, it was very successful. When Mrs Thatcher signed us up to the EU, it was the single best thing she did. Large companies and jobs would not be here, and we would probably resemble Romania if we had never joined.
It has done our country tremenous good. All legislation costs money. Westminster costs us many millions. At least in the EU, the costs paid by many countries (I know not all pay yet). Corruption needs to be tackled more rigorously, I seem to remember they put Kinnock in charge of that - not a good move.
As I have heard it, the declaraion they intend to proclaim for the anniversary, is meant as a grand gesture and is symbolic (hot air) rather than anything significant.
After WWII, they were not about to repeat the same mistake again, and the plan to stablise and secure lasting peace in Europe led to the fomation of the EEC.
In that regard, it was very successful. When Mrs Thatcher signed us up to the EU, it was the single best thing she did. Large companies and jobs would not be here, and we would probably resemble Romania if we had never joined.
It has done our country tremenous good. All legislation costs money. Westminster costs us many millions. At least in the EU, the costs paid by many countries (I know not all pay yet). Corruption needs to be tackled more rigorously, I seem to remember they put Kinnock in charge of that - not a good move.
As I have heard it, the declaraion they intend to proclaim for the anniversary, is meant as a grand gesture and is symbolic (hot air) rather than anything significant.
Trouble is you just don't hear of the things that benifit us from the EU often because it doesn't sell papers
Take FP7 - a huge European investment in Science and Technology which Britain will be a major beneficary of. - You've heard of this right?
No? funny that
On a smaller and more personal scale the overhead power lines in my village are being replaced with underground ones - EU grant funded - no signs no fuss - I didn't even know it was EU money until I talked to one of the contractors.
Unfortunately it seems the EU story is a little poorly presented and Euromyths are a lot more fun
If you facy a laugh here's some of the more fancifull inventions the papers have invented about the EU
http://www.euromove.org.uk/euromyths/
I particularly like the Sun's "EU bans busty barmaids"
Take FP7 - a huge European investment in Science and Technology which Britain will be a major beneficary of. - You've heard of this right?
No? funny that
On a smaller and more personal scale the overhead power lines in my village are being replaced with underground ones - EU grant funded - no signs no fuss - I didn't even know it was EU money until I talked to one of the contractors.
Unfortunately it seems the EU story is a little poorly presented and Euromyths are a lot more fun
If you facy a laugh here's some of the more fancifull inventions the papers have invented about the EU
http://www.euromove.org.uk/euromyths/
I particularly like the Sun's "EU bans busty barmaids"
If you want some reasons why most Britons are NOT celebrating 50 years in the Common Market/EEC/EU/United States of Europe, try these for a start.
1. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) costs each British family an extra �20 on their food bills every week.
2. Half of all financial contributions to the CAP is used to support the system itself and its bureaucrats, administration and storage agencies.
3. The main beneficiaries of the CAP are large scale arable farmers who receive 45% of all subsidies.
4. The EU pays farmers to 'set aside', in other words they are being paid NOT to grow crops.
5. Due to the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), more fish are thrown back dead, or landed illegally than are landed legitimately.
6. Britain provides three quarters of the fishing stocks, two thirds of the waters, but it gets only one third of the catch and one eighth by value.
7. The fish nearly all hatch, grow and breed in British waters but are a 'Common Resource' and new entrants with big fishing fleets but few fish seek catches in our waters. Spain was the first and our fishing fleet is now being cut to make room for them.
8. Countries whose fishing fleets are too large for their quotas can register their vessels as British, get EU money and catch our quotas. One fifth of the British registered fleet is now foreign owned and these 'quota hoppers' catch more than 40% of our Hake and Plaice.
9. Policing at sea falls mainly to Britain, but we can't discriminate against the vessels most likely to offend. Our efforts are not supported by control at most European ports where small fish 'over quota' and illegally undersized are landed with impunity.
10. Nations outside the EU have built powerful fishing industries within their 200 mile limits. Britain isn't allowed to do this because of CFP rules.
1. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) costs each British family an extra �20 on their food bills every week.
2. Half of all financial contributions to the CAP is used to support the system itself and its bureaucrats, administration and storage agencies.
3. The main beneficiaries of the CAP are large scale arable farmers who receive 45% of all subsidies.
4. The EU pays farmers to 'set aside', in other words they are being paid NOT to grow crops.
5. Due to the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), more fish are thrown back dead, or landed illegally than are landed legitimately.
6. Britain provides three quarters of the fishing stocks, two thirds of the waters, but it gets only one third of the catch and one eighth by value.
7. The fish nearly all hatch, grow and breed in British waters but are a 'Common Resource' and new entrants with big fishing fleets but few fish seek catches in our waters. Spain was the first and our fishing fleet is now being cut to make room for them.
8. Countries whose fishing fleets are too large for their quotas can register their vessels as British, get EU money and catch our quotas. One fifth of the British registered fleet is now foreign owned and these 'quota hoppers' catch more than 40% of our Hake and Plaice.
9. Policing at sea falls mainly to Britain, but we can't discriminate against the vessels most likely to offend. Our efforts are not supported by control at most European ports where small fish 'over quota' and illegally undersized are landed with impunity.
10. Nations outside the EU have built powerful fishing industries within their 200 mile limits. Britain isn't allowed to do this because of CFP rules.
Continued.
11. The cost of corruption and fraud within the EU is estimated to cost �6 billion every year. that is equal to 10% of the entire EU annual budget
12. In 2000 European Commissioner and Vice-President Neil Kinnock was given the job of tackling the massive fraud within the EU. Since then only two people have been sacked by the Commission. The first was Paul van Buitenan who originally exposed the fraud and Martha Andreasan who was hired to audit the EU accounts. She revealed the true extent of the fraud and corruption and was subsequently sacked.
13. The town twinning scheme now requires town mayors and other officials to swear an oath of allegiance to the EU.
14. EU laws exist which could make it a crime to participate in activity 'contrary to the advancement of the EU'. Therefore we could become criminals because of our membership of anti- EU political parties.
15. Britain contributes �20 billion every year to the EU budget. We are given back about �11 billion per year in the form of grants and subsidies. However, these come with conditions not least of which is the requirement to match the subsidies and grants � for � with our own money. The money must be spent as directed by the EU.
16. Britain is being split into regions controlled from Brussels. Regional assemblies actually remove power from the people rather than increase it.
17. Up to �1 million per day is being spent in preparation for Britain's entry to the eurozone even though it is not yet certain whether we will enter or not.
18. The European Central Bank controls the finances of all countries in the eurozone. The ECB is made up of unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats. They meet in secret and records of their meetings are not made public for 16 years. The Bank of England release their records within one month of their meetings.
11. The cost of corruption and fraud within the EU is estimated to cost �6 billion every year. that is equal to 10% of the entire EU annual budget
12. In 2000 European Commissioner and Vice-President Neil Kinnock was given the job of tackling the massive fraud within the EU. Since then only two people have been sacked by the Commission. The first was Paul van Buitenan who originally exposed the fraud and Martha Andreasan who was hired to audit the EU accounts. She revealed the true extent of the fraud and corruption and was subsequently sacked.
13. The town twinning scheme now requires town mayors and other officials to swear an oath of allegiance to the EU.
14. EU laws exist which could make it a crime to participate in activity 'contrary to the advancement of the EU'. Therefore we could become criminals because of our membership of anti- EU political parties.
15. Britain contributes �20 billion every year to the EU budget. We are given back about �11 billion per year in the form of grants and subsidies. However, these come with conditions not least of which is the requirement to match the subsidies and grants � for � with our own money. The money must be spent as directed by the EU.
16. Britain is being split into regions controlled from Brussels. Regional assemblies actually remove power from the people rather than increase it.
17. Up to �1 million per day is being spent in preparation for Britain's entry to the eurozone even though it is not yet certain whether we will enter or not.
18. The European Central Bank controls the finances of all countries in the eurozone. The ECB is made up of unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats. They meet in secret and records of their meetings are not made public for 16 years. The Bank of England release their records within one month of their meetings.
Continued.
19. On entry to the eurozone Britain would be required to hand over all of its gold and foreign currency reserves to the ECB. This is done so that any eurozone country wishing to return to its own currency will no longer have the financial means to do so.
20. Britain currently has lower inflation, lower unemployment and greater inward investment than the eurozone.
21. The Treaty of Rome states that once Brussels has acquired a power from nation states, that power is never given back. This is known as the 'acquis communautaire'.
22. The Treaty also fails to include an exit clause should any member state wish to leave the EU.
23. The proposed EU legal system known as 'corpus juris' takes away every Briton's right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Also taken away will be the right to trial by jury. Trials will be conducted by an EU appointed Public Prosecutor.
24. The EU police force or 'Europol' can arrest you and detain you in any member state for up to six months without charging you with any crime.
25. 70% of the 170,000 members of the Federation of Small Businesses oppose European Monetary Union (EMU). Only the large multi-national companies support it because they have the power and resources to lobby (or bribe) the EU institutions and its officials
19. On entry to the eurozone Britain would be required to hand over all of its gold and foreign currency reserves to the ECB. This is done so that any eurozone country wishing to return to its own currency will no longer have the financial means to do so.
20. Britain currently has lower inflation, lower unemployment and greater inward investment than the eurozone.
21. The Treaty of Rome states that once Brussels has acquired a power from nation states, that power is never given back. This is known as the 'acquis communautaire'.
22. The Treaty also fails to include an exit clause should any member state wish to leave the EU.
23. The proposed EU legal system known as 'corpus juris' takes away every Briton's right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Also taken away will be the right to trial by jury. Trials will be conducted by an EU appointed Public Prosecutor.
24. The EU police force or 'Europol' can arrest you and detain you in any member state for up to six months without charging you with any crime.
25. 70% of the 170,000 members of the Federation of Small Businesses oppose European Monetary Union (EMU). Only the large multi-national companies support it because they have the power and resources to lobby (or bribe) the EU institutions and its officials
The idea the majority of multi nationals are only interested in the EC because they can bribe their way through the sytem is laughable and one of the reasons why so many people cannot take UKIP hysteria seriously. As for our fish being stolen by foreign fisherman who register their boats in the UK. What??? Are you truly suggesting that fish in British waters can only be landed by British fishermen in British boats. It's a good job that major British investments abroad are not subjected to such insular, economic thinking. Finally, if the EU is such a bad investment for Britain, why have Conservative leaders, including Maggie Thatcher always strengthened our economic and political ties with Brussels?
I think Lonnie meant to say Switzerland. It, along with Norway are two of Europe's most prosperous countries.
There is a myth that we have to be a member of the EU to trade with it. This myth is blown out of the water by the fact that Mexico has a trade agreement with the EU. We trade with the US but we don't need to be the 51st state to do so.
Suffragetee, It is a mystery to me why successive Conservative governments signed successive treaties. It is also a mystery why Tony Blair, in his election address for the 1983 General Election, stated that Britain's membership of the (then) EEC was damaging to Britain's interest and a future Labour government would seek Britain's withdrawal.
At which point did he wake up and suddenly think that the EU was a good idea?
There is a myth that we have to be a member of the EU to trade with it. This myth is blown out of the water by the fact that Mexico has a trade agreement with the EU. We trade with the US but we don't need to be the 51st state to do so.
Suffragetee, It is a mystery to me why successive Conservative governments signed successive treaties. It is also a mystery why Tony Blair, in his election address for the 1983 General Election, stated that Britain's membership of the (then) EEC was damaging to Britain's interest and a future Labour government would seek Britain's withdrawal.
At which point did he wake up and suddenly think that the EU was a good idea?
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