[DisgustedofSwieqi]

“The EU is stupid and corrupt, it must be as members, with the exception of the UK don’t play by the rules and pick and choose what rules they want, like Malta who has received massive payments from the EU financed by the likes of the UK, France, Germany.”

That is a ridiculous statement, made by a little Englander who has not taken the time to learn the facts.

The UK stands at 10/15 for non compliance in the period 1997-2005 and is a greater offender than 4 others. Not lily white, by any means.

http://www.eipa.eu/files/repository/eipascope/20070622102127_pniSCOPE2007-1_internet-7.pdf

I believe, at the moment, that Cyprus and Malta have the least outstanding enforcement actions in the community.

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

“Don’t read the Guardian, its for sandle wearing lefties”

And literate people.

[RichHI1]

Disgusted, whilst some may result to hyperbole for which I can quite understand your frustration , there is a strong view in the United Kingdom that the UK’s and probably Europe’s best interests would be best served were the UK not to be in the EU but remained a strong trading partner the EEFTA much the same as Switzerland and Norway.
Gorgeous George does sound very European though…. 😉

[Bucksnet]

It just so happens that Switzerland and Norway happen to be the richest countries in Europe on a per capita basis. Strange that. Maybe it’s because they don’t have to follow EU rules which strangle their economy, and can also have low taxation.

[RichHI1]

Also Norway used their North Sea Gas and Oil revenues in a diffferent way to the UK.

[NTarrant]

Oh dear! Disgusted has got his pompus hat on, he reads the Guardian. Now let me see, I am sure that VK will agree that Disgusted sounds very much like MarkRoberts9, anti-UK, anti-BA. Perhaps he has moved to Malta, funny how some ex-pats do that.

Quite right Bucksnet, we should be like Switzerland or Norway. Read Daniel Hannan

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/author/danielhannan/

[Bucksnet]

Daniel Hannan “loves Europe, but believes that the European Union is making its constituent nations poorer, less democratic and less free.” Indeed.

I like Daniel, but I don’t think he realises that nothing is going to change unless the ‘Conservative’ party has an internal coup and deposes its current leadership.

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

Rich

I understand that many people in the UK think it would be better to be outside the EU.

It is really time for them to make this happen, this continuous carping achieves nothing. As an expat (who is often mistaken for a Maltese by other Europeans), I know that many people regard the UK as being a bunch of hand wringing hypocrits, who are happy to have the largest rebate in the EU, but do nothing but moan and generally be negative.

The whole rebate argument is multi-faceted and can be argued many ways, but that is the reality of what people think about a percieved ‘half in, half out’ stance.

NTarrant

Think whatever you like. It’s going to be 30c here today, I have a day off and I’m going to the beach to do some snorkelling and to enjoy a nice lunch. Syonara.

By the way, it is okay to read a selection of newspapers, to see the different perspectives. I watch Al-Jazzeera as well as CNN.

[Bucksnet]

Bliar gave away the rebate years ago and the the UK is a net contributor to the EU budget, a budget which has not been signed off by their own auditors for 15 years due to massive fraud.

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

Bucksnet

For your info, Blair agreed to give up 20% of the rebate between 2007-2013 on certain conditions, including that the resultant funds were not used for the CAP.

The UK negotiated the rebate originally as 80% of the EU budget went to subsidise the CAP and this was a disbenefit to the UK, whose farming sector was much smaller than France, Spain and Germany.

The CAP expenditure decreased over the years (by 2009, it was 41%), thus the pressure on the UK to give up the rebate.

IMHO, Blair (who is not my favourite person) did pretty well to avoid a pro rata reduction.

The whole ‘governance’ issue is a disgrace, I agree.

AFAIK, the UK has been a net contributor for a long time. France is the country to examine closely, if you wish to challenge; If the UK rebate was removed, some people believe France would become a net recipient, despite being a very large and wealthy country. This is because France contributes about 30% of the UK rebate.

[Bucksnet]

Okay so Bliar only gave up some of the rebate, the point I was making was that the UK became a net contributor to the EU budget. It matters not how that budget is structured, the UK gives more than it gets back.

[DisgustedofSwieqi]

Here is a list of data from ‘Open Europe’, issued in 2007. Note that Open Europe takes a sceptical view of the EU.

The data shows the net contribution or receipt per head of population.

Draw your own conclusions.

Netherlands -1467
Denmark -1322
Sweden -1207
Austria -1024
Germany -1045
United Kingdom -937
France -805
Italy -778
Finland -701
Cyprus -128

All countries above this point give more than they get back.

Spain 49
Republic of Ireland 139
Belgium 605
Romania 1159
Malta 1226
Bulgaria 1263
Slovenia 1443
Portugal 1604
Poland 1705
Latvia 2016
Slovakia 2039
Czech Republic 2139
Lithuania 2157
Greece 2238
Estonia 2384
Hungary 2384
Luxembourg 16170

The Luxembourg figure is strange, perhaps it is elevated because the country has very few inhabitants, but many daily commuters from other countries and the many large multi-nationals there receive a proportion of the benefits.

BUCKSNET

Just to add that the numbers reflect benefit per head of population, so countries with a minus are paying and those without are receiving.

[LuganoPirate]

The “SIN” countries as they are know, Switzerland, Iceland and Norway, have a very close realtionship with the EU. In fact they have their own own office within the EU in Brusels and Strasbourg.

Switzerland aligns it’s laws with those of the EU, other than for taxation, in order to ensure the free movement of goods and services within the EU, on which it depends for over half its trade.

I think what is more interesting, is the fact that Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg and Austria are all countries of savers and all believe in balancing their personal budgets. This ethos filters through to Goverment who do the same. It is against the law for Goverment to overspend in Switzerland, they can only spend what they raise.

The Goverment has a core of full time ministers, but most MP’s have a full time job. One Swiss pilot is also an MP and of course he is the reprersentative for aviation. They are not on full time salaries but receive an allowance for each Parliamentary session, which are held for 3 weeks, 4 times a year. The only perks they get are a laptop, mobile phone (telephone bill paid) and either a Pass allowing them to travle throughout Switzerland for free by train, bus and boat, or it’s cash equivalent (about CHF 3,000) if they choose to use their own car.

Our President uses the tram to go to her office and the official car is only used when foreign dignataries are present. She does have a private plane at her disposal though for attending meetings in other countries.

It’s not be said that Switzerland has no problems, it does, but nor are her negotiators a pushover, for the fact remaoins that Government can negotiate, often for years on an agreement, but it’s the people who decide by referendum if it will be enacted – so this concentrates their thinking and is a lever to be used as the EU knows full well the animosity shared by the Swiss towards the EU (at it’s institutional level).

And on top of all that, there is compulsory military service!

[LuganoPirate]

Very interesting figures Disgusted. Interesting to see Holland pays more than Germany?

I think the Luxembourg figure is so high because they have so many EU institutions there, such as the Courts of Justice. I seem to recall that part of this was to compensate Luxembourg for giving up her steel making plants.

[Bucksnet]

These figures were 2007, not today. It is strange to note that most richer countries are receiving money while most poorer countries are paying in. Something does not seem right there.

[Author]

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