The Swiss Exception

A country that we Euro Sceptics like to use as an example is Switzerland. The latest paper from Global Britain shows how countries like Switzerland and Norway have a free trading arrangement with the EU and suggests that the UK could have a similar relationship.

Over the weekend, the Swiss demonstrated what the benefit of their freedom is. Swiss voters strongly backed a law on Sunday, allowing research on the stem cells of human embryos. Switzerland is the first country in the world to put this controversial issue to a referendum. Nationwide polls, however, are common in the country.

The Swiss regard their democratic rights as something to be jealously guarded. They understand the value of sovereignty better that any of their neighbours. Above all they believe that it belongs to the people not the government.

EU Exceeds its Legal Powers

From Statewatch

The Council of the European Union has told the parliament it can have full powers of co decision after it adopts its report on biometric passports.

Unfortunately for them, this is not legal.

The proposed Regulation on EU passports, with or without mandatory fingerprinting requirements, exceeds the legal powers conferred upon the Community to adopt measures concerning checks at external borders. It can be concluded that no powers conferred upon the EC by the EC Treaty, taken separately or together, confer upon the EC the power to adopt the proposed Regulation.

Specifically:

the EC s powers to adopt legislation to facilitate the free movement rights of EU citizens, shall not apply to provisions on passports, identity cards, residence permits or any other such document…

Its nice to see that they can not even keep within the rules that they established themselves. How can we trust them with any increased power or responsibilities.

International Aid or Internal Aid?

Another day another scandal. EU anti fraud squad Olaf when it is not harassing journalists, is investigating fraud within the EU institutions. Sounds a bit like painting the Forth Bridge. Well the latest pile of money to go missing is from the overseas aid budget, much of which is apparently ending up aiding the wrong people.

The EU has revealed an increase in cases of serious abuse of its international aid project, losing it 1.5bn euros over the past year. In its annual report, EU anti fraud squad Olaf said incidents increased by 9% to 637 over a period of 12 months. In some cases, European donors were being overcharged or funds were siphoned off for private or corporate benefit, the Olaf report said.

Yes thats one and a half billion Euros going missing in a year. However with their hands full over the Tillack affair, its not suprising that they took their eyes off the ball.

BBC Charter Renewal

Take a look at this link Thanks to House of Dumb

Thought for the Week

Thus, just when nation states began to lose their primacy as economic actors, Brussels created the supernation state. This is ironic, it is also tragic. Of all the developed world, Europe has the richest and densesthistory of regionalism. In a borderless world, it could draw upon and leverage that heritage with immense profit. Instead it has purposely tried to stamp that heritage out.

Kenichi Ohmae The End of the Nation State

The European Union has been designed to combat globalisation, by creating a larger unit, which can resist the global forces. The fact that globalisation is an opportunity not a problem, means that we have built a defence when we should have been honing our attack abilities. Mr Ohmae argues that economic units have become regions, rather than nations, the best example being Silicon Valley. Economic growth comes from diversity of such clusters. In such an environment, to build the state on a larger scale is folly of the most extraordinary kind.

Why is free trade coffee illegal?

The Adam Smith Blog has a great answer for all those who blather on about fair trade coffee.

I sometimes hear it argued that free trade has failed coffee farmers, and that we need fair trade to help them. This is rather puzzling because free trade coffee is illegal in the European Union. Instead, we have a choice between coffee with a price artificially increased by the EU, and coffee artificially made more expensive by the EU which we then choose to pay a fair trade supplement for as well.

Because countries that produce coffee can only export the raw material without punishingly high tariffs, they are shut out of more value added parts of the supply chain. If they were allowed to sell processed products to European Markets, all of the big coffee companies would be building new factories in these poor countries, employing more people and helping their economies to develop. Instead we have trapped these countries in the lowest value part of the chain. So true free trade would be a boon for consumers and producers alike.

An Interesting Vote

As a Brit my focus on the European Constitution tends to be on the referendum to be held in the UK. It currently seems as if the French referendum may provide a more interesting spectacle however. The French Socialist Party are considering whether or not to back the treaty and there are grave warnings of the consequences of not doing so.

Dominique Strauss Kahn, former finance minister and one of the French Socialist Party's most senior figures, has told the Financial Times and Les Echos that if the French socialists were to vote against the EU Constitution in an internal referendum next week, Europe could breakdown.

With such a major prize at stake, we should all be impatient to get into the task. I am not sure if he is right but I certainly hope so. But what are the chances.

The French Socialist party is divided over whether to recommend ratification of the EU s new Constitutional Treaty, which Chirac has promised will be put to the public in a referendum next year. Laurent Fabius, who allied himself with the left of the party, says the proposed Constitution is a capitalists charter, which would impose a liberal model at odds with the values of the party.

Not quite the complaint that I had with it, but all contributions are gratefully received. The polite and friendly Monsieur Chirac is of the opinion that support by the Socialist Party is essential.

A French referendum on the proposed EU Constitution would likely be lost if it was being held today, Jacques Chirac warned Tony Blair during his visit to Britain last week. If the vote was held today, we would lose it, he reportedly said. The outcome of an internal vote by the Socialist Party on 1 December about whether they want to support the Constitution will go a long way to determining the result of the French referendum, which could take place as early as May 2005.

We await the outcome of the Socialist party vote with anticipation, although I am sure that the project will win out in the land that hatched it.

A Fair Referendum

If any of you think that the referendum on the constitution is going to be fair, have a read of EU Realist and particularly this post.

EU Constitution will curb Sovereignty

Well that was all news to you. The Danish Ministry of Justice published a report on the constitution that came to the conclusion that to pass into law, a majority of five sixths of Danish MPs or a referendum must be passed. The reason is that the treaty will impact on Danish Sovereignty in a number of areas.

Among the areas singled out for transferring power are the protection of personal data, free movement and settlement, diplomatic protection, the movement of capital and the freezing of funds, as well as new competences for the Court of Justice allowing it to rule on intellectual property rights, space and health policies. The so called flexibility clause, which allows the extension of Union powers without new ratification by national parliaments or referenda, is also seen as a transfer of power.

Of course the situtation in the UK is different. The treaty does not represent a transfer of power but will rather be a tidying up exercise.

Europes Future?

This statement comes from a BBC Radio discussion called EYES WIDE SHUT. Its difficult to believe that the BBC allows suchs views or that they could come from a Financial Times employee, but it happened.

The general perception in Asia is that Europe is a dying continent of flabby, flaccid welfare states, this is what people think, I promise you, where people don t work very hard, where lots of people dont work at all, where the hours are short, the effort meagre and the growth trivial. And therefore they basically think that Europe is a wonderful place to be a tourist in, you can get some nice fashion items if you want to get Gucci and all the other things, they admire French fashion and Italian fashion, they get capital goods from Germany, they send their children to English schools if they re very wealthy, but they don t really take it seriously.

Dr Martin Wolf, Chief Economics Commentator and Associate Editor The Financial Times Well maybe there is hope for us after all. They say that a problem cannot be solved until it is recognised.

Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship in the European Union

Ok, I know what you are going to say, but this was the title of a seminar that I attended yesterday. One of the members of the panel, Dr Ugur Muldur is the head of the DG Research Unit for the European Commission. He gave a presentation on the reasons why the EU is failing in its Lisbon Strategy. To be fair he was thorough and thoughtful, but like all those whose careers depend on the money forcibly removed from our pockets, the conclusions he drew were interesting to say the least. First the facts, no one in the EU wants to be their own boss. Why this is could be an interesting discussion, but the social model is my first suspect. Why take the risk when the state is there to look after you. Fact two, the USA has grown faster that the EU consistently over the last few years. The percentage of GDP spent on research is low and needs to be raised apparently. This despite the fact that we were told that the EU files more patents than the USA. If you ask me, too much research is being done if this fact is not leading to more start ups. Mr Muldur gave poor regulation as a chief problem, but hinted that nation states were to blame rather than the Brussels Behemoth. Of course the solution is to pass more directives which force simpler regulations. The idea that competition drives good government is obviously alien to such people. The question and answer session was fun. In an earlier presentation, Kenichi Ohmae the strategy guru, suggested that for Turkey to join the EU would be a mistake. The EU will strangle competitiveness he said. This point was brought up by someone who compared the record of the USA with that of the EU. Our friendly Scientist then behaved as if the participant had made references to his parenthood. Mr Ohmae was wrong to make such a statement as everything was relative. Aside from the fact that he was questioning the right of someone else to have a point of view, something of a core competency for the author of stacks of books, he was trying to defend the non existent record of the EU against that of the USA. I pointed out that the number of patents held in Europe was actually a cause of shame if they were not being used. In answer he replied that the American risk taking spirit was a myth, the reason, one third of silicon valley companies were started by foreigners. The fact that the US steals the best brains from the whole world and uses them to strengthen its economy is used as an argument against the US system. Talk about twisted. Only start ups by white Americans count I suppose. Finally we are told that there are different types of capitalism and the Anglo Saxon one is unsuitable for Europe. We must improve our own model. So from the horses mouth, the EU is going to do nothing to correct the ever dying level of competitiveness.

Mandelson, Traitor?

Tim Worstall has an interesting post about the Prince of Darkness The long and the short of it is that Peter Mandelson has taken an oath as a privy councillor which makes his oath of loyalty to the EU an act of Treason. Nobody cares about insignificant things like treason nowadays, but logically the post seems to be true.

There is no third way

Not really a sentence you expect to hear from the mouth of one of our Dear Leaders Ministers. However, Mr MacShane, Minister for the Department of Quisling, was not commenting on the rebranding of Tax and Spend socialism but on the Tory approach to Europe. Funny that, Labour is allowed a third way but the Tories are not. Apparently:

In the 11 years of Mrs Thatcher's premiership. She agreed to 316 multilateral treaties and 1,482 bilateral treaties.

Whereas

Tony Blair is a much more jealous guardian of British sovereignty as counted by the treaties his administration has signed, just 153 multilateral treaties and 531 bilateral treaties.

Which of course in itself means nothing, as there is a world of difference in a marriage contract and a sports club membership, even if both count as one contract each. So if we had agreed simple treaties with the EU on a number of individual issues, we would have given up more sovereignty. Besides, this from the party that derides the track record of the Iron Lady and calls on them to denounce her.

But the really big European treaties are those Britain signed up to when Tory prime ministers signed the Treaty of Rome, and the treaty setting up the Single European Market two decades ago. Since then, trade between Britain and France alone has increased by 300 per cent. Last year, 45 million passengers were carried by low cost airlines on trips to European cities, a direct result of the new rules Britain accepted when it signed the 1986 treaty setting up the Single European Market.

If you divide the 11 Billion pounds contribution by 45 million you can see that the airlines were not really that low cost after all. Anyway, as consumers we fail to see the connection between our right to services at true market prices and the regulations that strangle our lives. And the fact that Tory Prime Ministers signed treaties is somehow important. Ted Heath is a traitor and Mrs Thatcher now says she was duped. As for that other guy, what was his name, no I can not think of anything to say about him. As time has passed, we have come to understand the true nature of this club and learned to hate it. Things change. After all at the time that Mrs T was signing said treaty, most of the members of the Labour party were bright red marxists.

There are also proposals claiming that Britain can unilaterally pass national law that would allow it to choose the bits of the EU it likes, for example, the single market, but tell EU member states such as Ireland, Holland, Germany and others that they cannot fish in the North Sea or Atlantic waters Britain wants to reserve for itself.

Yes quite sensible proposals if you ask the majority of your constituents. There is no reason other than petty politics why the rest of Europe would wish to shut the UK out of the single market, just because it is not committed to committing suicide as it were.

On social policy, all employees in Britain now have the legal right to 28 days paid holiday a year, thanks to EU rules that other countries have to obey.

Off Topic. Zero points. If we wanted such a law we could have past it ourselves anyway. We did not need Brussels to do it for us. On the other hand, if we decide we no longer want such a law, we are stuck with it.

Yet British citizens cannot pick and choose which bits of the law they will obey. Similarly, Britain cannot pass legislation that conflicts with international treaties, such as the EU treaties, without being in breach of its solemn treaty obligations.

Oh the Law, that wonderful thing that exists for some reason, and must be obeyed at all times. Mr MacQuisling. If a law does not protect the rights of the individual it has no right to exist and must be changed. This is not an unchanging Sharia system that we live in, its called liberal democracy.

But what is sauce for the French or German or Italian goose is sauce for the British gander. Europe is not a one-way street in which Britain alone has national interests that others have to bow to, but we can ride rough-shod over everyone else.

No you are quite right. Its a one way street where France can ride rough shod over everyone else.

In the new treaty, Britain has been present at the creation in shaping Europe's rule book.

Yeah, and the governments own representative said that nobody listened to any of the critisisms and comments and that the treaty was terribly written document. But lets all ignore the facts, they get in the way of the good of THE PROJECT.

Someone Knows the Truth

Readers of this blog will know that I regard the Common Agricultural Policy as the work of the devil himself, and I never waste an opportunity to say so. The recently reelected John Howard is unsuprisingly of the same opinion. As quoted by Global Growth:

We continue to believe very strongly that the under-developed countries of the world who rely so very heavily on agricultural exports see as their only real long-term hope a greater liberalisation of world markets in agriculture. A particular responsibility rests on those countries, or groups of countries, that have still very high levels of agricultural protection.

Read in Particular the EU and Japan. Hear Hear. Lets hope that one day all world leaders will think the same.

The UKIP is not Useless

After the furore surrounding some unwise comments concerning fridges and the problems over Kilroy, I had given up hope that the UKIP might add something to the discussion. Now it seems I have been too pessimistic, at least where some people are concerned.

MEPs have called for clarification surrounding French Commissioner Jacques Barrots conviction in 2000 over illegal party financing. Mr Barrot was given an eight month suspended sentence in 2000. However, a general amnesty in 1995 by French President Jacques Chirac meant that the case was wiped from record and French media are not allowed to refer to it.

The revelations in themselves are far from suprising, it is France after all. The important point is this:

Mr Barrots past was revealed by eurosceptic UK MEP Nigel Farage.

Keep up the good work Nigel.

Euro Army

From the Torygraph

European Union defence ministers will today sign off plans for battlegroups of troops poised for instant action, in a significant move towards a European army. Most of the troops will remain the same, merely switching from Nato to EU insignia, but the politics could change abruptly.

Great Strategy, change our defence from one based on an organisation that has successfully kept the peace since world war two, to one that where the very idea of defence is discrimination against the culture of your enemy. I am sure we will all sleep more soundly.

Campaigners launch attack on Brown

Its not often I warm to those who wish to hand our country over to the EU but when I heard that they had been attacking Gordon Brown, I wished them luck for a micro second. Of course it was not because the Chancellor is the biggest thief in British History, that they dislike him, but rather because he does not wish to let go of the purse strings. From Vote No

Leading members of the Britain in Europe campaign held a stormy meeting with the Chancellor this week and attacked him for being too negative about the EU. At the moment the message from the Government is still that Britain is doing well despite Europe and thats hardly a rallying cry for a positive vote for the Constitutional treaty. Liberal Democrat Malcolm Bruce said, We told him that by accentuating the difference and British superiority, the message he gives to the British people is that we are thoroughly engaged, and we are being stuffed, and we ought not to be there.

Well its not often I can say this, but I think the message that Mr Brown is giving the British people is spot on.

Been Away

Sorry about the lack of posts I have been travelling. I would have warned you but I was under the false impression that I would be able to keep up. I have also been away longer than expected. Normal service to commence this week.

A plan to revive transatlantic relations

I discovered this week, a think tank dedicated to EU reform. There seems to be a plethora of such organisations which makes you wonder where all the money comes from. I know very little about them but this tells me a lot.

The Centre for European Reform, by far the best of all EU think-tanks in London" The Guardian

They have an article on US EU relations. The basic thrust of the article is that the two sides should work together, but the stand out paragraphs are these:

The US should declare itself in favour of a more united Europe, the position of most administrations since the second world war. Any attempt to oppose European integration, or to encourage the split between New and Old Europe would be counter productive. If there is one policy guaranteed to boost support for Jacques Chirac's idea that Europe should be built in opposition to the US, it is American hostility to the EU.

Firstly, the US has never been hostile to the EU, rather it has been dismissive which is something altogether different. Besides, the EU or rather certain leading lights have been very hostile to the US. Methinks the logic is upside down. Then comes the one they all through in:

The EU needs to turn itself into a more credible and effective international actor. Ratifying the constitutional treaty would help, so that the new foreign policy machinery, with a foreign minister replacing the rotating presidency, and a new diplomatic service.

Just a small point on foreign policy. Making a European Foreign Policy is like herding cats. As long as we do not agree, having a European Henry Kissinger will solve diddly squat. Besides every time I hear the phrase, the constitution would help, it makes me wonder what more they will think of to help some more in the future.

Death of a Statesman

Tributes are flooding in from far and wide following the news of the death of Arafat. The man whose commitment to openess was so complete that we still have not learned how he died was described as thus:

The Palestinian people, both within and outside the Palestinian Territories, have lost an historic leader and a democratically elected president, whose devotion and single minded commitment to the Palestinian national cause throughout his life was never in doubt. Bernard Bot, foreign minister of the Netherlands

His single minded commitment was difficult to doubt as he was willing to kill innocent people for his cause. Commitment to peace on the other hand was always in doubt.

The leader identified with the struggle of the Palestinian people for self determination, through exile and after his return. Josep Borrell, EU parliament president

Poor thing, he was exiled from his own land. Not that he was a terrorist or anything.

The best tribute to President Arafat's memory will be to intensify our efforts to establish a peaceful and viable State of Palestine as foreseen by the Roadmap. Javier Solana, EU Foreign Policy chief

I am all for creating a peaceful and viable Palestinian State, but it would seem a strange tribute to someone, much of whose life was spent killing people. You have been warned. Accept the constitution and you future is in the hands of these people and others like them. A European Union Common foreign policy means toadying up to dictators and terrorists.

Lithuanian Green Light for EU Constitution

From EU Politix

Lithuania, one of the most recent entrants to the EU bloc has become the first country to back the new European Constitution. In a parliamentary vote on Thursday, MPs gave their thumbs up to the text, signed just three weeks ago in Rome, with 84 votes in favour, four against and three abstentions. A spokesman for the European Commission welcomed the ratification. We congratulate them wholeheartedly, it is a very positive development indeed.

A spokesman for The Road to Euro Serfdom says: How the hell did they translate the thing into Lithuanian and get 91 people to read it in just 3 weeks. Am I missing something here. I guess that four Lithuanian Deputies can read whatever language the original was prepared in and spent the last three weeks carefully reading it. The rest just did as their masters told them. This is a nail in the coffin of the theory that the newcomers would tone down the federalist drive.

Strategic reasons for Turkish EU membership unconvincing

From EU Observer

The strategic reasoning for arguing in favour of Turkish membership of the European Union is not convincing, according to a new study published by a German think tank.

You can tell these people are not Swivel Eyed Loons like me, they must actually like the EU. The strategic benefits of Turkeys membership are obvious to all. The French will no longer rule the roost, the EU will gain a big oversensitive member that will be uncontrollable, There will be far less support for CAP with millions of Turkish peasants to support and no one will want full political union with 70 million muslims. Sounds ideal if you as me. But why you ask, are they focused on strategic benefits, economics is normally the main subject.

Because Turkish membership of the EU will bring little economic benefit, the emphasis of the discussion has shifted instead to the strategic benefits.

Only a socialist setup like we have in the EU could gain no economic benefits from the addition of 70 million consumers and 30 million workers. We saw what free trade with Mexico did to both Mexican and US economies.

Surprise, Surprise, Corruption

In a move that demonstrates the lack of equal access to taxpayers money, some of the beneficiaries of the European Unions poor accounting and control are no longer able to eat from the trough.

A criminal gang of professionals and academics led by a Sicilian professor defrauded the European Union of millions of pounds in a fake youth training programme, Italian police claimed yesterday after a string of dawn raids across the country. Police seized a total of 39 bank accounts and GBP 3.5 million, as well as tracing other illegally obtained funding to offshore companies based in tax havens. Police claim that up to GBP 13 million had been creamed off.

Shocking is it not. You could subsidise 25.000 cows for that money. It would pay the expenses of a handful of MEPs or could even contribute toward a summit on something or other.

Seeing as free money always leads to corruption, the only way to stop this happening is to stop doling out the cash. To say nothing of changing the culture in the echelons of power. After all, sacking whistleblowers is not normally the most effective way to spread the anti corruption message.

Those who resist will be Crushed

The European Culture of tolerance and freedom is apparently what the EU is all about. Taking the best of our progressive political culture and forcing it on everyone through directives and treaties is the very reason for its existence. So what are we to make of this:

Belgiums most popular political party was banned as racist by the countrys high court yesterday, fuelling concerns that the judicial branch is being used to eliminate political enemies.

Belgium is the most sickeningly PC country is the EU. This is the country that refused to sell bullets to the British Army in the 1991 Gulf Conflict, despite being contracted to. Turkeys admittedly poor handling of the issue of separatist political parties has been the subject of no end of critisism from the Belgians. At least the Turks had the excuse that they were just front organsiations for a terrorist group. What excuse can the Belgian Government give for this. It comes right from the top.

The lawsuit against the Vlaams Blok was brought by a rights watchdog controlled by the prime minister's office.

Welcome to the Brave New World of European Liberal Consensus

Monument to Neil Kinnock

We all knew that the Wind Bag was useless, and we now have more evidence against him.

Romano Prodi and Neil Kinnock are expected to attend the opening of the European Commission's new HQ tomorrow which has been beset with problems since the early 1990s. No-one ever seems to have taken a grip on this issue, and as a result, this building has cost taxpayers across Europe over six hundred million pounds.

Neil Kinnock was supposed to have been in charge of this project and this vast building will sit there as his lasting monument.

I am getting impatient for him to finally come back and be an official spokeman for the Vote Yes campaign. We will have unending amusement, slagging him off every time he opens his mouth.

Mistrust of Politicians

It seems cruel beyond excuse, the man is so easy to criticise that one wonders whether there should not be a law against it. None the less I cannot resist. Roy Hattersley in the Guardian:

I took it for granted that I was on the winning side. We had triumphed in the arguments and our leaders were far more attractive and articulate than their opponents.

So we won the argument but the stupid people voted against us anyway. I love the deep conviction that our politicians hold for the cause of democracy. The people are always right unless they disagree with us.

Clearly, at least for the time being, the idea of a North East assembly is dead. But if devolution was right and necessary on Thursday morning, it was still right and necessary on Friday afternoon. And I cannot pretend otherwise. What is more, I do not believe that the North East is opposed to regional assemblies. It did not vote against devolution. It expressed its distaste for politics and politicians.

The people gave their verdict but because I believe I was in the right, I cannot accept the decision of the people. In fact I do not even believe it. As a member of the elite, the peasants should have accepted what I in my superior wisdom was trying to tell them. This is despite the fact that the peasants, according to no other person than himself, have just given the message that they hate politicians. Anyone more rational on hearing such a message would just shut up.

The cynical majority asserted, without doubt or apology, that the new tier of government would become a vehicle for institutionalised corruption. They anticipated inflated expenses, worthless foreign trips, lost-earnings allowances for meetings that never took place and salaries far higher than the recipients could hope to earn in any other job.

How do they get these ideas into their heads. Its not like the European Parliament is full of nobodies and politicains beyond their sell by date, claiming far to much money, and stealing when that does not suffice. In fact had the Scottish Parliament cost ten times its original budget, this level resistance would have been understandable. No wonder Mr Hattersley is such a strong proponent of European Union. He knows whats right for us whatever we think. The sad thing is that his conclusion is right. The people mistrust those who seem to have no beliefs or principles. Unfortunately you have to read his views on the proles first and put up with his cleverer than thou idiocy.

Whatever happened to Sustainability

The European Social Consensus is firm on the idea of sustainability of development, whatever that means. Now I have never really understood this concept, but I am sure that they do not mean this:

BirdLifes scientific studies from the last 30 years have shown that 70% of the 173 different priority bird species which are dependent on farmland habitats in Europe are endangered. This dramatic decline is clearly associated with the Common Agricultural Policy which over the last 40 years has stimulated changes in land use in Europe that have had a devastating effect on bird populations, other wildlife and natural habitats.

Even the Birds are saying, Ceterum censeo Unionem Europaeam esse delendam

Standing up for Freedom of Speech

An excellent post on the subject of Theo Van Gogh at Eurabian Times

I had not heard of him before Submission, and had forgotten his name until he was brutally murdered in the streets of Amsterdam. My reaction to his killing is not due to the loss of this man. When the assailant shot him down, his shots were aimed at the Western value of freedom of expression.

This is exactly how I feel. We have a culture in Europe based on freedom of expression and the rights of the individual, which is under attack from those who do not share these values. This would be of little consequence if it were not for the fact that our supposed representatives are joining the other side.

A mural with the words Thou Shalt Not Kill, in the memory of Theo Van Gogh, was sandblasted by the Rotterdam authorities, lest it incite more violence.

Aside from the fact that an exhortation not to kill is hardly an incitement to violence, this is typical of the cowardice of those whose job is to protect us from such fanatics. When in doubt look for the root cause of the problem. This is another reason why Europe is finished.

Thought for the Week

But the policy of Europe, by not leaving things at perfect liberty, occasions other inequalities of much greater importance. It does this chiefly in the three following ways. First, by restraining the competition in some employments to a smaller number than would otherwise be disposed to enter into them, secondly, by increasing it in others beyond what it naturally would be, and, thirdly, by obstructing the free circulation of labour and stock, both from employment to employment and from place to place.

Adam Smith The Wealth of Nations Some things never change. The only difference ias that today we have a transnational bureacracy to obstruct the free circulation of labour.

What the other side thinks

From the Guardians letters page It has not been a great week for rationality. This wasn t just a blow for Blairs government, it was a vote against politics and the very idea of democratic government. In this anti-intellectual climate, the chances of a yes vote in a referendum on the EU is pretty remote. Andy Croft Middlesbrough Yes Andy thats what we are all hoping. Not very impressed at your view of rationality though. What rational person would vote for the dimembering of his own nation, so that weakened it can be controlled from overseas.

A Plan by any other Name

I am often amused by the activities that the great and the good spend their time on. One would think that the office of Prime Minister would force a person to ignore the petty and focus on the important. You would be wrong.

EU leaders have called for urgent action in the wake of a damning economic report although some have criticised its proposals.

The idea of naming and shaming in order to force countries to take the Lisbon agenda seriously, has not gone down too well in some quarters.

Chancellor Gerhard Schroder is said to have described the idea of naming and shaming as political suicide.

Alex Dakers a commenter on this site called it: A sycophant State of the month award, complete with blue McDonald type name badge, with little yellow rating stars for each National leader. Perhaps Gerhard is of the same opinon and knows that his chance of a star is non existent. Instead the way in which the project will be made successful is a flash of political brilliance. Change the name.

Spanish Socialist Josep Borrell criticised the fact that no one understood the name Lisbon Agenda, the name given to the EU's 2010 economic goals. He suggested that citizens would understand the aim better if it went by the name of the strategy for competitiveness, social cohesion and the environment.

The fact that the name he chose was even more meaningless and had nothing to do with the agenda was obviously a point he missed.

Two Jags gets Walloped

The result of the referendum on a North East jobs for the boys talking shop is a resounding no. John Prescotts EU inspired break up of England has come to a shuddering halt at the first hurdle. Its nice to see our number one political thug on the receiving end for once. Long Live England David Carr of Samizdata views the whole idea like this: In short, the whole thing is simply an Enemy Class job-creation scheme and I like to think that ,at long last, some sections of the British electorate were able to see the truth of this. Perhaps, just maybe, some of the long suffering British cash cows have decided that they have donated more than enough blood to these Vampires Who Walk By Day. Neil Herron, who has been campaigning hard for this result must be very happy, his Blog can be found here.

Apparently CAP benefits consumers

Euro barometer is a polling organization that exists to assess knowledge of and attitudes towards the EU across the member states. Its reports, whilst biased make for interesting reading. A couple of months ago it published a report on the common agricultural policy, my least favourite part of the mess we call the EU. The results are shocking. A fair share of citizens think that the CAP benefits consumers first as it affords quality, safety and affordability of food products. Here is a programme that makes eating a prohibitively expensive habit, compared to the rest of the world and a good number of people think that CAP makes food cheaper. That is without the indirect cost in taxes. On the subject of quality, EU citizens would be prepared to pay more to have, for instance, quality meat and vegetables. And you think that the free market is unable to provide these things. Well let me put you straight. The abolition of CAP would reduce prices of all food products considerable, which would lead to a demand for higher value products as buying the basics would require less of a consumers income. When asked what areas the EU is active in 59% of the population mention agriculture, more than any other issue. Well its a start I suppose. However only 39% had actually heard of CAP. Seeing as this is by far the most controversial part of European Union policy and 60% of the population has never heard of it, I despair that we will ever get the discussion needed on the EU and its impact on our lives. The figure for France was 73%, reinforcing my belief that the winners always know, whereas the losers tend to be ignorant. Such is the iniquity of government action. 52 percent of respondents felt that decisions on agriculture should be made at EU level, whilst 37 percent said national government was best. So the fact that this area of responsibility is the best example of incompetence, fraud and wrong headedness, more than any other single issue, is still not enough for some people. They have been so brainwashed, or are so apathetic, that a trans national programme that swallows billions of Euros, impoverishes the third world and has no redeeming virtues is acceptable. I give up. This is the continent that calls Americans Stupid. As to what they know about European agricultural policy. 39% think that it ensures food safety 36% think that it ensures food quality 23% think that it ensures low prices. What do we have to do to get people to listen. We have the most expensive food anywhere, and 1 in 4 consumers think the EU has reduced prices for them. What do Consumers think that the EU should be doing 91% think they should focus on food safety 83% protecting small farms 81% Helping farmers to meet consumers expectations. So farmers, food processors, supermarkets and others in the logistics change need a bunch of ignorant Brussels bureaucrats to tell them how to meet the consumers needs. Some people even think that they should protect the taste of the produce we buy. I don’t know about you, but everything the EU does leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Surveys are more often interesting for what they fail to ask rather than their questions. Not one single mention of value for money in 67 pages of report. A survey devoted to creating wish lists, asking people what would be nice. I am sure that if you asked these question the answer would be different.

1. Did you know that you pay hundreds of euros more than necessary each year to support the CAP. Do you think this is value for money.
2. Did you know that Africans are dying every day due to our agricultural policy. Do you think this is a price worth paying.

How can we spread the word about this and other Euro disasters so that the man on the street takes notice

Working together

Now that the Texan Cowboy has won another four years at the white house, European leaders are biting their tongues and sending messages of congratulation I particularly liked this one. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder heartily congratulated his US counterpart while stressing the need for the international community to face the Worlds challenges together.

Great challenges face the world: international terrorism, the danger of weapons of mass destruction being built; regional crises, but poverty, climate change and epidemics also threaten our security and stability. These challenges can only be overcome by working together, he said.

First he had the chance to work together but blew it. He and his pal Jacques wanted to stand against the USA whatever. Now is a little late to say we could all be a team. Secondly if you want to overcome poverty, throw away your protectionist instincts and get rid of the Common Agricultural Policy, then we can talk about other issues. As for climate change, record oil prices will do far more good than Kyoto ever could. And finally please dont forget, the whole point of the EU is to be a counter balance to the USA not its partner.

Making Europe Work

The Lisbon Agenda has attained something of a Joke status since it was proposed a few years back. Making the EU the most dynamic economy in the world by 2010, was always a long shot, but in good socialist fashion, the goal was set and everyone pretended that it would be achieved. Now they have come up with a sure fire way of reaching the goal.

Governments should be named and shamed if they slow progress towards making the EU the most competitive economy in the World by 2010.

So says a report by drawn up by former Dutch prime minister Wim Kok.

The European Commission should present to the Heads of State and Government and the wider public annual updates on 14 key Lisbon indicators in the format of league tables with ranking 1-25, praising good performance and castigating bad performance, naming, shaming and faming, says the conclusions of the 54 page report.

Now peer pressure may be a reasonable way to push reluctant politicians in the right way, but does anyone really think this will work. Perhaps we could support it with Stakhanov type statues of those who work hardest for the goal. It was a long time ago, so I forget what the point of the Lisbon strategy was, luckily someone was on hand to remind me.

If we do not succeed in refocusing all our policies on more growth and jobs and therefore on more competitiveness, Europe will not be able to sustain its social and environmental ambitions. Nothing less than the prosperity of the European model is at stake.

So the point in creating a dynamic economy is to preserve the social model, ie our non dynamic economy. Nothing about the importance of people being able to work, nothing about the social problems caused by long term unemployment. No, only the ability to keep paying welfare checks and inflated wages. Even so, not all of the social models adherents are happy.

But European trades unions complained that the report focussed too much on growth and jobs.

Hellooo, is anyone there. Unions complaining about a focus on job creation. Thanks for displaying your real beliefs. Screw the workers, its our members we care about. One day someone in Brussels will realise that economic dynamism is not created by government fiat. Unfortunately, by that time the whole continent will be bankrupt.

Union of European Socialist Republics

North Sea Diaries brought this one to my attention

It seems that six of the commissioner designates are being coy about their communist pasts.

It goes without saying that in a totalitarian state, in order to be a success you must align your interests with that of those in power. It is also true that the same type of people rise to the top whatever type of government there is. It would therefore be unsurprising to learn that leaders in post communist countries were also big cheeses in the past.

Some of our new commissioners however, are pretending that their lives began in the nineties. They did nothing during the communist era and rose immediately to positions of power. Not very credible is it.

Latvia Changes it Nominee

In a TV discussion over the weekend, Jonathan Evans a conservative MEP was raising the point that the rejection of the commission could lead to a long delay and many problems. The critical issue was, he said, whether the whole commission might start to crumble. It was not clear if MEPs want one head or a few. In addition, two governments have changed since nominations were made and may wish to change their candidates.

All new candidates would then have to be vetted. What happens then if one or more of those are found wanting. Could parliament push this issue so as to garner more power.

Now following the removal of Rocco Buttiglione, Ingrida Udre the Latvian nominee is to be replaced by former government minister, Andris Piebalgs. Will she be followed by any more is the question on everyones lips.

Will the parliament be satisfied or having tasted victory will they want more blood.

Constitutional Titbit - 3

Symbols of the Union

The flag of the Union will be a circle of twelve golden stars on a blue background

The anthem of the union will be Ode to Joy from the Ninth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven

The motto of the Union shall be: United in Diversity

The currency of the Union shall be the Euro

Europe day shall be celebrated on the 9th of May throughout the union

Whilst this is all pretty uncontroversial, I have a couple of quick points.

1) Can we use the motto to campaign against EU legislation. After all the leaders of the project are unable to see diversity without immediately trying to harmonise it.

2) What does the mention of currency mean for countries such as the UK which are not using the euro. I find it hard to believe that someone will not use this clause to force the government on the Euro issue.

Danegeld

They say that Tony Blair was not really in favour of the concept of a European Constitution, but was bullied into accepting it. I am sure that John Major would have preferred not to go through the torture of Maastricht. Successive leaders have claimed that successive treaties were the limit of integration, up to here and no further, only to be proven to be wrong. They remind me of this historical figure. Ethelred II, the Unready

He succeeded to the throne after the murder of his half-brother, Edward II, the Martyr, at the age of ten. His reign was plagued by poor advice from his personal favorites and suspicions of his complicity in Edward's murder. His was a rather long and ineffective reign, which was notable for little other than the payment of the Danegeld, an attempt to buy off the Viking invaders with money. The relentless invasions by the Danish Vikings, coupled with their ever-escalating demands for more money, forced him to abandon his throne in 1013. He fled to Normandy for safety, but was later recalled to his old throne at the death of Svein Forkbeard in 1014. He died in London in 1016.

The modern version of Danegeld has become the signing of treaties that we do not really want. If we give in to them here, maybe they will go away. But before one treaty is even signed, there is always another in the works. Quite unsurprisingly, they keep coming back for more gold. One of the main selling points for the yes group will be that this pot of gold will finally persuade the invaders to stay away. Somehow I cannot believe it. My apologies to the Danes, its not them causing the trouble this time.

Treaty a landmark success for Britain......

From Britain in Europe

The usual suspects sent a letter to the times last week celebrating the new European Union Constitution.

Sir, on Friday, the nations of Europe come together to sign a second Treaty of Rome. This treaty will create new and simpler constitutional arrangements, replacing almost five decades of complex and overlapping documents with a single text. It will protect the sovereignty of Europe's nation states and set limits for the first time on what the EU can and cannot do.

Replacing many treaties with one does have some rational, but how can the supremacy of EU law protect national sovereignty. As for limits, it bears repeating, that everything that the EU has ever put into a treaty has been stretched to the limits. Besides many federalists are openly saying that this treaty is a good step forward, but we need to go further.

The treaty makes it easier for us to work together to deal with the cross border issues that define the 21st century such as global warming and the threat of international terrorism. It will give a bigger role to the parliament and people of this country. It commits Europe to work for the economic and social benefit of us all.

When did the purpose of the EU become fighting terrorism and global warming. They use any opportunity to push their cause, relevant not. Terrorism will not be fought with conferences and fine words and the EU has no stomach to pursue any real action. Besides the idea that we need to EU to work together is interesting. Its real purpose is to stifle different viewpoints, if we were all agreed on something working together would hardly need the EU institutions.

Across Europe this treaty is viewed as a landmark success for Britain. It will protect and enhance our vital national interests and enable us to work more effectively with our partners to change Europe for the better.

We will constantly hear this refrain over the coming months, that our neighbours see the treaty as a win for Britain. This combined with the idea that the EU is coming around to our way of thinking will be one of the major platforms of the yes lobby. I guess it was a victory in as much as only some of the red lines were crossed. Complete rejection of this vile work of nation neutering would be a much more pleasant victory by far.

Yours faithfully, Rt. Hon Chris Patten, Rt. Hon Menzies Campbell CBE QC MP, Rt. Hon Robin Cook MP, Rt. Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP, Rt. Hon Lord Howe of Aberavon, Ian Taylor MBE MP, Rt. Hon Stephen Byers MP, Rt. Hon Neil Kinnock, John Monks, Malcolm Bruce MP, Nick Clegg

So what a suprise the usual suspects liked it.

Business turns against Europes single market

One of the things that nearly all of us, Pro or Anti can agree with is that a single market is a desirable thing. Ok, so we do not all understand the same thing from that phrase, but thats a different issue. Basically we all want to make European trade easier. The results of this Survey, brought to my attention by An Englishmans Castle and EU Referendum, is therefore very important indeed.

A MASSIVE slump in support for Europe's single market among international business leaders will be revealed in a new poll this week. Highlighting their mounting concern, an overwhelming 63% of top executives surveyed agreed that over-regulation was destroying European competitiveness.

So far, not a very suprising result, after all regulation is hardly an issue that is not regularly flagged as a problem. Besides many of them probably see the single market and regulation as two different issues.

One business leader said that, relative to the US, it took 12 times longer and cost four times as much to set up in business in Europe; another that it took twice as long and cost five times as much to get a patent in Europe as in the US.

So we make our entrepreneurs struggle with bureacracy but still want them to create the world most dynamic econmy. To those who are not familiar with Hernando de Soto, I can recommend his book, The Mystery of Capital. It describes in detail how things like the cost and difficulty of setting up businesses is such a major factor in keeping the developing world poor. It also plays a major part in keeping much of the economy unregistered. The standout for me in all these results was this.

Only 39% of business leaders believe the single market exists to a great extent in their industry and 38% to some extent, while 21% think that it is largely non existent in their sectors. As many as 88% of respondents believe that cultural diversity can exist in a single market, suggesting that they do not believe all European countries should be homogenous.

So after 12 years of developing a single market, with all the unnecessary regulations that Eurocrats felt they had to add to the mix, just 1 in 4 business leaders believe that there really is a single market in their sector. So the gain that was supposed to make all the pain worth it, does not even fully exist. We have been sold a lemon. During the referendum campaign, when some smug idiot like Robin Cook claims that the gains of the single market are at stake, remember this result.

A Different Treaty?

Why is the message given by other European Leaders always so different from that given by our Dear Leader. Tony Blair: Its a tidying up exercise Romano Prodi: The innovative content of the social rights, which are now recognised as primary legislation, and the new social clauses introduced in the Constitution are clear steps forward. Someone is telling porkies.

Thought for the Week

Bad laws are the worst sort of tyranny. Edmund Burke

A few days after our Prime Minister signed one of the worst thought out and badly written constitutions of all time, think about the meaning of law. Only law that is designed to promote the citizens rightas is good law, all the rest is bad. The new constitution is very bad in deed.