A Future in Europe?: Commissioner Confronts London on EU Loyalty UK needs to get real, or get out of the way. Thanks.
Cameron's all talk, and Angela Merkel has a nerve. The UK isn't the only country which would like a more realistic, affordable budget. It's the net recipient countries who are in the majority and EU bureaucrats, who want the increases. Cameron's problem is how to sell his eventual capitulation at home.
"EU Loyalty" ??! Since when have sovereign nations been expected to submit before another agency? Is it just me or is this reminiscent of the pope trying to rule europe from Rome before the Reformation?
I really don't like agreeing with you Anders, but this is exactly what I was going to respond with. Member states are supposed to display "loyalty". Forgive me, but the EU or any such structure does not require "loyalty". The implication itself is an indicator of the intrusive nation of the EU. I'm a fan of the EU, I'm glad the UK is a member but I will never support such nonsense as this. I'll test this out with Dutch friends, I'll ask them if they feel that the NL should be "loyal" to the EU. I suspect the answer will be utter confusion. Perhaps Belgians would feel loyalty, perhaps not. The EU is a political union, nothing more.
"We can't finance more Europe with substantially less money." *Looks around* we are in the middle of a financial crisis................ aren't we? I mean, most countries are cutting back on services, to pay their debts? But ohhhhh no, the EU wants to increase budgets. What services should the UK cut, to pay for Brussels? Schools? Hostpitals? They need to get real here, EU budgets need to be cut along with the member states.
I'm reading in the news that the EU wants a 5% increase in budget this year on its £279 billion budget. That's an increase of £1.8Bn. Why? At this stage in an incredible financial crisis, would anyone want to increase their government spending. Is Greece going to stump up? Is Italy going to stump up? Is Spain going to stump up? Is Ireland going to stump up? Why increase a budget now, when we need money to bail out these countries? Lets be honest, Belgium might need a bail out in the medium term, why are we spending more? Why not sort out the stupid spending first? Why not sort out the “structural and cohesion funds”. Funds which are supposidly used to reduce the income inequality within the EU (a nobel goal), but which are being spent on: The Terra Botanica, a French theme park that received £13 million from EU funds. A Biblical-themed garden in Poland A music festival in the Caribbean ?? Why not sort out the CAP? Frankly, people living in inner cities and areas of depression (the UK's North for example), should not be expected to keep Frances farming industry afloat. And lets be honest here Jan, this CAP budget is not being used for small farmers and their boutique products, it's recycled into the coffers of MAJOR farming coporations. I've said this before Jan, I am not anti-EU, but the EU needs reforming, politicall and financially and I think it's outrageous that they would ask for more money at this very moment. They need to feck right off! They need to show that they can and will reform their processes and work for the people of the EU. Why the fook are we paying to help Marie-Galante (a overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean)?????????????????? What-the-(*)(*)(*)(*)????????? Why the fook am I paying for: Terra Botanica is an amusement and botanical park in Angers. It has received £13 million from the development fund. It includes multiple business centres and a cinema as well as “aquatic zones” and almost 15 acres of gardens. It's lovely I'm sure, but why are my taxes paying for it??????????? Back in Poland: In Poland – one of the EU’s poorest countries, earning just 60 per cent of the average gross national income among European countries – there was £503,000 of funding for a “Biblical garden” in the spa town of Muszyna. A biblical (*)(*)(*)(*)ing garden!!!! Christ alive, I do not want any, ANY of my taxes spent on religious mumbo-jumbo, cut this spending now!! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9653405/EU-funds-spent-on-Caribbean-music-festival.html In short, the UK is quite right to take its stance on EU spending.
And lets be fair here Jan, other countries which are net contributors to the budget including: Germany Austria the Netherlands Denmark Finland also want to reduce the budget.
I (*)(*)(*)(*)ing angry about this now!!! The EU added 10 additional POOR countries, all at once, all without the consent of the then 350M Europeans. They added an additional 100M poor people to our ecconomy, and now want us, in a ecconomic depression not seen since the 1920's, to spend more money. WTF??? It's insane! Families in the UK are tightening their belts, struggling to put food on the table and theese Euro-(*)(*)(*)(*)(*) want to spend their money of this? It's insane, who on earth would support it? Oh yes, that's right, Belgium. A country which takes more out of the structural fund that it puts in. Now (*)(*)(*)(*) off Jan and eat some waffles!
Here's an idea Vlad, this being a discussion forum and all.... instead of pressing the dislike button and not responding to ther's posts - why not discuss the topic? It's a mindblowing concept I know, but it keeps with the premise of this being a discussion forum
I rarely like repeating myself. Depends on my interlocutor. And this isn't my thread. Come to my United States of Europe thread. My answers are there.
What 'our economy'? There is no 'our economy' and no 'our Europe'. That's the problem and the source of all imbalances including spending/benefiting from member state to member state. Those working on minimum national wages/underqualified/living on state benefits unfortunately have and will always be destined to have unexpected problems more or less regardless of the economic situation. If you average those in this category by all the First World you discover that this is how society unfortunately is. There's been little social evolution in Europe lately and everything should be rewritten now. Yes yes, imbalances and a system without a central coordination.
That's just a guy and a term he used. One person. That doesn't mean all EU guys are set on that one single frequency. Politicians from all sides and environments in all situations often make very inappropriate remarks. The UK has no shortage of these either. I'm sure he was criticized by his EU guys behind closed doors. That's where I disagreed. Of course I don't believe nations should show loyalty to Brussels even in the Federal Europe. Oh yeah I agree with this. I didn't see it yet I clicked 'dislike' heh Yes a political union does not require loyalty to work 100%. Unfortunately it is not a political union yet but it's close to becoming one. Now more than ever we ain't needing to let go of our hopes.
It hurts, I know. But the EU DID show it's going to transform & reform more than ever in its history and is already taking all the steps. These spends and this budget don't matter anymore, not now. What difference does it make? This is on a temporary basis... the crisis... because the whole EU is due to change fundamentally these following years. New projects have got to continue to be completed, it's a sign of commitment for all Europe and its cultural values and I think that Biblical Garden thing is more of a history thing, a museum. Of course they don't look like a priority to me either but again, Europe is a cultural place and its spirit is fueled by this. And personally I utterly disagree with religion being funded from public funds, the taxpayers, which in Romania is still happening!!!! even though I'm not an atheist. Here priests have salaries!!!! As big as those of a medic!!!! ...and churches get additional money & funds for keeping the building, even those that are new, not historical at all. No wonder this country has been suffering the way it does since '89.
I like reading Leffe's post. Always interesting and informative (seriously). Today I learned two new words... "fook" and "feck"......
. "Fook" - the phonetic spelling of the word (northern English dialect). "Feck" - Pure Irish (watch Father Ted for extreme use of the word).
