Growing rift? UK+Europe

[child of Thor]

So is britain wrong to suggest a change for everyone? From what people have posted abotu this and what i've read it would seem that ok the rebate is heavily slanted in britains favour, but overall it is negated by other contributions we make, or so i've been led to believe.

I think in the light of the recent 'No' votes on the constitution, and the economical crisis that seems to effect the EU zone, we should be looking at every part of the picture and trying to make a better/stronger/more powerful and united europe(with us inclueded in it)

Lets be brave and bold?

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by child of Thor
Lets be brave and bold?

With Chirac?!



Bravery and boldery are for the kind of people who resign after suffering three electoral humiliations in a row. Not for the likes of Chirac, who remain in power only to continue being surrounded by delusions, and to avoid facing justice.

[Spiffor]

More seriously, I don't thin European Councils are able to give any vision for the future any more. There are just too many small "egotical" interests, and no government (at least, no influent one) can get the big picture.

The CAP, as it is, sucks. We could protect our small farmers equally well while lowering the CAP immensely (I heard up to 90% of the French part of the CAP goes to agribusiness ). The CAP about mediterannean products has undergone a seirous change in the riight direction IMO, with much more ecological development, instead of outdated productivism.

However, Chirac isn't the man who'll make the CAP budge. He's old, he sees himself as a new De Gaulle (who introduced the CAP in the first place), he isn't imaginative enough. And he certainly doesn't want to stir any more discontent during the last years of hisn reign. This is why his new government wholly reeks of half-assedness. This is why there is no single member of the cabinet below 40. This is why France will remain led by an old-school old man for the coming two years.

Don't expect anything revolutionary from him.

[alva]

Originally posted by Locutus
The rift is not growing, the rift has always been there. Sometimes it's just more noticeable.

The Brits just can't make up their minds if they want to be part of Europe or not. The rest is just ordinary bickering that seems to pretty much define Europe, indiscriminate of the nations involved (I can assure you Dutch-Belgian and Dutch-French relations are just as 'bad', just less high-profile in international media).

It beats killing each other, so I'm not complaining...

Only when we say bad thing 'bout your prime-minister.

[alva]

Originally posted by Krill
I would be more than happy to lose the rebate, so long as all of the subsidies are re-evaluated.

[Dr Strangelove]

Judging by the way that nations are rejecting the EU constitution it would appear that Europe is about to fall apart.

[alva]

It isn't.
One problem is that they waited 50 years to ask anything, the other is that everyting that is bad, is blamed on Brussels, so off course, if then you're gonna ask wether people still like Europe...

[Dinner]

Oh, it isn't going to fall apart but they may have to actually start defering to their people's desires from time to time.

[Hueij]

Originally posted by alva


Only when we say bad thing 'bout your prime-minister.

What was so bad about it? For once a lot of people over here thought there actually was something intelligent coming from Belgium

[Saras]

Ehh, this particular piece of New Europe came under pressure from SWEDEN of all places to push UK. Sweden has a lot of clout here.

[Saras]

If I were in charge I'd support UK, just to piss off Chirac.

[Sandman]

The chances of Blair budging on this is remote. From what I've seen, the whole of the British press is behind him.

Scrap the CAP, scrap the rebate. Seems fair enough to me.

[MikeH]

Business as usual in Europe then!

[Dinner]

Wasn't the original purpose of the rebate because Thatcher objected to paying for farm subsidies for French farmers? That seems valid and the situation has gotten worse not better.

[MikeH]

Exactly. Chirac won't budge on the CAP (political suicide for him) and we won't budge on the rebate.