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December 16, 2003
The EU's democratic instincts
Those who believe the EU constitution is now safely consigned to a box under the ground should put the cork back on the champagne. Revenge is already being exacted against Poland and Spain for blocking agreement last weekend as Britain joins France and Germany in demanding budget cuts that will, by an amazing coincidence, penalise Poland and Spain. Thus other countries, too, get the message that anyone who dares frustrate the superstate will get his hands chopped off. And in the best traditions of tyrannies down the ages, this lot shamelessly take the very rules they use to browbeat other countries and bend them to suit themselves. Thus we learn that France and Germany (along with the other main EU budget contributors) have warned President Romano Prodi of 'the need for budgetary discipline'. But France and Germany have just driven a coach and horses through the stability pact, the main instrument of EU budgetary discipline, and are getting clean away with it -- because they effectively make the rules of this whole squalid enterprise. Bets may now safely be taken on just how long it will take before Poland or Spain's governments conveniently change, or thumbscrews are applied elsewhere in the system, and the constitution is back again on the agenda. Posted by melanie at December 16, 2003
Comments
Germany should stop spending so much on the EU....for years it has allowed Ireland to offer 12% Corporation Tax subsidised by EU transfers; and Germany is broke. Britain wants to protect its rebate; and France wants to continue its agricultural-welfare program......and there is no reason to increase the EU Budget if its competences are being limited. Poland would soak up huge amounts of money as would Rumania...but they have no budget discipline and have huge deficits. There is no reason to confuse separate issues Melanie; Poland has as big a problem keeping its spending within its budget as Germany or France......I do not wish higher taxes to subsidise profligacy in Poland or Germany or Spain or Greece or France or Ireland........it is hard enough trying to afford Gordon Brown and the costs of our immigration flows. Posted by: John of Gaunt at December 16, 2003 03:22 PMIf the tories want a vote winner, they should campaign for the withdrawal from this institutionally corrupt club. Posted by: adam at December 16, 2003 07:14 PMRead Die Welt this morning. Germany has locked in agric subsidies to 2013 (they are No2 after France in receipts) and has boosted its own net contributions after 2007.......expect ongoing budget battles to start soon and consume them with acrimony for years to come........politicians with money - "Now you see it, ow you don't !" Posted by: John of Gaunt at December 18, 2003 07:17 AMWith enlargement the idea of a European Union as an embryonic superstate, whether federal or whatever, is dead. A european free trade area or Zollferein should be the aim. Subsidies or any other transfer payments are contrary to the general interest since they encourage non marketable activities(that means the production of goods or survices that people do not want to purchase. Posted by: Gordon Walker at December 30, 2003 05:42 PM |
