By Anneloes van Iwaarden
Courtesy of European Commission
Every now and again, an all too familiar grumbling is heard from many a British politician and from even more British journalists on the ‘big bad’ European Union (EU).
Sure enough, today’s Daily Mail prints two articles on the financial costs of the EU, citing a critical report by the Eurosceptic think tank ‘Bruges Group’ and the UK Independence Party (UKIP).
In one of the articles by political reporter Ian Drury, the UKIP Member of European Parliament (MEP), Gerard Batten, said: “To get Britain out of recession, we must get Britain out of the EU.”
Although such statements should really warrant no response, they do point to a broad feeling of ‘Euroscepticism’ that has plagued Britain ever since it became a member.
Back in the day, Britain must have seen something positive to becoming a member of (what was then called) the European Economic Community (EEC) as both Conservative and Labour governments in 1961 and 1967 applied for membership.
Under former Prime Minster for the Conservatives Edward Heath, Britain eventually did join the EEC in 1973.
Costs of EU Membership
Short-sightedness is no excuse for being blind to the benefits Britain has enjoyed in terms of job creation and business since becoming a member.
Yes, we know the EU costs a lot of money and this has always been an easy target to condemn, on the face of things.
Just some of the costs:
• MEPs who are all too willing to claim expenses (though not too willing to attend actual meetings)
• Moving costs involved in holding Plenary Sessions of European Parliament alternately in Strasbourg and Brussels
• The costs involved in translating EU legislation into the 23 official EU languages
• The EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
But we also know (at least some of us do) that the EU consists of 27 Member States each with a political will of their own, not to mention a stubborn sense of pride.
And Britain is no exception.
I wonder how willing the British would be to give up their right to speak and conduct politics in their own language.
Given their hesitance to give up the Pound Sterling in favour of adopting the Euro, I think this not very likely.
For Britain the EU has always been a case of ‘can’t live with it, can’t live without it’. As for me, Britain’s hypocritical stance on the EU is becoming rather old news.
Posted by ahsvaniwaarden 