The EU: A major World Power?

[Gromit]

Serbia, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania have all signed The Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) which is regarded as the first step to full EU membership.

Is an enlarged and united Europe our only hope?
Is this our only way of competing with the likes of America, China and Russia in the new world order?

[vehelpfulguy]

If you think of the USA it is like a collection of individual countries (after all it is called the UNITED STATES of AMERICA).

But the USA have been very clever in that they have joined 50 states together and GAINED by economy of scale (low taxes etc)

But the EU is like some HUGE organization run by Civil Servants.

And like all Civil Servants they love to have layers and layers of administration, laws, subsidies, taxes, and more administration.

We have EU departments scattered all over Europe, we have EU documents translated into loads of languages, we have EU corruption on a MASSIVE scale.

The accountants who review the EU accounts have REFUSED to sign the EU accounts off for the last 10 years as they have no idea where a lot of the money has gone.

The EU is one gigantic mess riddled with corruption and will eventually collapse into a heap.

Rather like the USSR, eventually the whole facade will one day crash down.

[vehelpfulguy]

Stories about EU fraud

http://www.civitas.org.uk/blog/2006/10/the_eu_ 12_years_of_dodgy_accou.html

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/eu rope/article612206.ece

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml? xml=/opinion/2005/11/16/do1604.xml

[vehelpfulguy]

One example of EU stupidity.

An EU document has to be signed in Portugal by all 27 leaders because Portugal are "in charge" of the EU at the moment.

But right after the signing, all 27 leaders are flying to Brussles for a meeting. And probably all going by individual private jet.

So much for carbon footprint

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/24054/EU-l eaders-make-50-000-mile-flying-visit

[jake-the-peg]

Sounds like you're all objecting to the current state of affairs and not addressing the principle.

The UK governments not perfect either and who can forget Cameron cycling to work with his chauffeur driving behind?

Don't see anybody answering Gromit's question yet

[jno]

although the EU is an economic union of sorts, its main rationale was poliltical: it was to tie the French and German economies together so closely that they would never be able to go to war again (they'd fought the Franco-Prussian war as well as two world wars, and had devastated the whole continent in the process). This has worked. The point of further expansion by the EU is much the same: once places like Serbia become part of modern Europe they can never again be exotic little countries going to war with their neighbours. But it will take a long time and a good deal of patience - and money - from the bigger and richer coutnries to the west. The bureaucracy partly arises out of the numerous different languages spoken, a problem the USA doesn't have. It would make sense for the EU to adopt English as its language in the same way, but as Britain itself keeps muttering about leaving the union altogether, this won't happen. Nonetheless, by lowering commercial barriers and imposing similar trading standards, including straight bananas of course, the EU is on its way to becoming a formidable trading bloc. Britain would be wise to join in and make the most of it.

[cambus]

vehelpulguy, the EU has brought prosperity, stability and democracy across its member states.
Airbus Industries is a prime example of cooperation, no one country could have afforded to go it alone with this project, which has been a huge success, much to the annoyance of the Americans.
You and others always focus on the myths, trying to portray them as fact.
In answer to Gromit's question, yes, an enlarged and united Europe is our only hope.

[vehelpfulguy]

Do we really want Albania in the EU (with the right for Albanian people to freely come to the UK).

The BBC web site says about Albania:

Unemployment is high and poverty widespread. The infrastructure is crumbling and corruption deters foreign investment. Agriculture, an important sector, relies on antiquated equipment and old-fashioned methods.

[delboy3]

Which is why Albania should join.

The same (or at least similar) could have been written about Greece, Portugal & Ireland before they joined the EU.

[kwicky]

If we wanted to be true Europeans we would have joined the Euro years ago. By trying to be a bit part player assumes our politicians are a cut above the rest. The USA are trying to cosy up to Merkel and Sarcozy so they must know where the true power lies in Europe. With people like Miliband running our foreign affairs maybe we can twin with African countries.

[ruby27]

I think jno post covers it.