History of Europe Dec 01

LET ME BRIEFLY OUTLINE THE RECENT HISTORY OF EUROPE.

MANY EU STATES, SMALL & LARGE:

·             Dislodged their monarchies

·             Civil war and revolutions

·             Accepted new national boundaries

·             Accepted mass migration from other countries

·             Occupation by Germany in the last war

·             People forced to settle in other countries as minorities

THEREFORE, WEAK ECONOMIES, UNSTABLE POLITICAL REGIMES AND INSECURE BORDERS LED TO THE BIRTH OF THE EU.

BIRTH OF THE EU, CO-OPERATION & ECONOMIC RE-DISTRIBUTION HAS RESULTED IN:-

POLITICAL STABILITY, DEMORACY 6 PEACE IN THE EU SINCE WORLD WAR II.

THESE COUNTRIES FEEL MORE SECURE IN THE EU AND SUPPORT ENLARGEMENT. ACCESSION COUNTRIES - POLAND, CZECH REPUBLIC, HUNGARY, SLOVENIA AND ESTONIA CAN HARDLY WAIT TO BE MEMBERS OF THE EU.

WHY DOES BRITAIN REMAIN EUROSCEPTIC?

·      Long history of democracy -

       no occupation

·       Thriving non-EU international trade

·       Seat at the UN Security Council & G8

·       Fourth largest economy in the world

·       Only oil exporter in the EU

WHAT ARE OUR MAIN CONCERNS?

·       Lack of transparency & accountability

·       Member States dragging their feet about single open competitive market

·       Budget allocation as 50% of EU budget i.e. £30bn is spent on agricultural subsidies

France +£2bn; Spain +£1.5bn;

Greece, Ireland, Denmark and Portugal are also net beneficiaries.

Germany -£3bn; UK-£1.5bn &

Holland-£1bn

20% of big EU farmers receive 75% of total subsidy - small farmers lose!

Widespread corruption and fraud, especially in the Med countries as Member States are required to monitor and they do not!

WHAT CAN WE DO TO REFORM THE EU?

Reform CAP

·       Introduce competition, reduce subsidy & repatriate CAP to individual Member States

·       Encourage higher quality of food whilst prohibiting import of sub-standard food

·       Encourage diversity on the farm and offer rewards for environmental improvement to ensure farming incomes are stable and rural economies thrive

·       Ensure compliance in good practice e.g. animal welfare so that farmers have a level playing field

ENLARGEMENT:- UK must influence conditions and pace

·       Employment in agriculture to shrink

·       Privatisation of state owned enterprises

·       Good governance

·       Phased access on immigration into EU

·       Establish provision for social welfare

SINGLE MARKET:- Financial Services

·       Privatise state owned enterprises

·       Break cartels in distribution e.g. cars

·       Good management of public sector debt

·       Minimum interference with trade & industry

LEGITIMACY & TRANSPARENCY

·       Reform EU institutions to "connect" with citizens

·       Insist policies are based on competition giving support to diversity and subsidiarity

The EU makes laws that impact on us. The EP has "co-decision" powers in the internal market, employment, environment, transport, e-commerce.

E.g. Vibration Directive; Testing of chemicals and medicines; tobacco sales; food safety etc.

British experience, fair play & justice: LAWS

Britain is in Europe and likely to remain in Europe.

Therefore...

WE MUST FIGHT OUR CORNER, LEAD IN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF EUROPE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE WIN!