What Did The Eu Ever Do For Us Anyway?

[SarahBell]

1.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22714147

EU sues Spain over hospitals' rejection of EU health card (The European Health Insurance Card entitles you to the same state healthcare as a citizen in that country - this includes prescriptions, GP visits and hospital stays.)

2.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22712569

The UK is to be taken to the European Court of Justice over its alleged failure to correctly assess whether EU migrants are entitled to benefits.

Seems no EU countries want to fund other EU countries benefits or health care...

[The Knimbies who say No]

1.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22714147

EU sues Spain over hospitals' rejection of EU health card (The European Health Insurance Card entitles you to the same state healthcare as a citizen in that country - this includes prescriptions, GP visits and hospital stays.)

2.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22712569

The UK is to be taken to the European Court of Justice over its alleged failure to correctly assess whether EU migrants are entitled to benefits.

Seems no EU countries want to fund other EU countries benefits or health care...

Fancy that...

The EU seems to be having some terrible PR of late, which on a personal level I'm delighted about. For too long it has enjoyed overly sympathetic coverage of its fundamental democratic failings.

[scrappycocco]

I don't get it - "do for us"? The EU is about helping big corporations their lobbyists and politicians, nothing more. EU employment is basically a resolving door. There is nothing for us from the EU because it's based on the same corrupt system that runs our own country.

Very weak case in point, sativex deemed to have no or few side effects as a pharmaceutical drug becomes a dangerous class b drug for the public domain. So basically take a natural compound that shows great promise, ban it using some negative propaganda then rebrand it safe as a pharmaceutical.

[LiveAndLetBuy]

The UK could easily resolve the "immigration issue" by applying existing EU law in the same way Spain has done: nobody (including those from other EU countries) can get Spanish residency unless they can either prove a certain amount of monthly income or they can show they already have a contract to work in Spain. Why Cameron doesn't implement something similar is beyond me.

[swissy_fit]

The UK could easily resolve the "immigration issue" by applying existing EU law in the same way Spain has done: nobody (including those from other EU countries) can get Spanish residency unless they can either prove a certain amount of monthly income or they can show they already have a contract to work in Spain. Why Cameron doesn't implement something similar is beyond me.

I thought they were offering residency and then passports to people who buy Spanish houses for 150k Euros and above now?

[LiveAndLetBuy]

I thought they were offering residency and then passports to people who buy Spanish houses for 150k Euros and above now?

No they increased it to €500k recently (obvioulsy after the more discerning Russian gangster)

[RandomFactor]

Very weak case in point, sativex deemed to have no or few side effects as a pharmaceutical drug becomes a dangerous class b drug for the public domain. So basically take a natural compound that shows great promise, ban it using some negative propaganda then rebrand it safe as a pharmaceutical.

Something very similar seems to be happening at the moment with electronic cigarettes. See:

http://www.ecita.org.uk/blog/?p=546

Despite the fact that a large number of people who have tried them have stopped smoking tobacco completely and their health has increased greatly (myself included - and I didn't even plan to quit!), and that a large number of doctors and researchers are saying they are much safer than tobacco and could save millions of lives, there's been a concerted effort going on by MEPs and pharma lobbyists in the EU to attempt to restrict their sale to the point of a virtual ban by the back door.

After some campaigning by users and doctors they seem to have backed off slightly, but watching the process and the people involved having read the background research has been fascinating (and shaken any confidence I might have had in the EU or its advisors completely).

Edited May 30, 2013 by RandomFactor

[Oliver Sutton]

The UK could easily resolve the "immigration issue" by applying existing EU law in the same way Spain has done: nobody (including those from other EU countries) can get Spanish residency unless they can either prove a certain amount of monthly income or they can show they already have a contract to work in Spain. Why Cameron doesn't implement something similar is beyond me.

Same in Germany, plus you need comprehensive health insurance if not working.

[copydude]

The UK could easily resolve the "immigration issue" by applying existing EU law in the same way Spain has done: nobody (including those from other EU countries) can get Spanish residency unless they can either prove a certain amount of monthly income or they can show they already have a contract to work in Spain. Why Cameron doesn't implement something similar is beyond me.

It's because 'population control' in many European countries centres around ID or residence cards, which have always been a contentious issue in UK and never implemented.

The residence card system allows many countries to circumvent EU law and citizen's rights. In theory, any EU citizen should enjoy the same rights as a national in any member state. But in practice, you can't pass go in many countries without a residence or ID card . . . not just Spain . . . in France, Holland and Belgium too when I was working there.

Britain does in fact control immigration through the visa system. If you are, say, a Russian and married to an EU national, you should technically, under EU law, enjoy exactly the same citizen's rights as your spouse. But try to get into UK without a visa. Should you get a visa, it will invariably be on the condition that you can't work or seek benefits. Completely against EU law.

On the other hand, if the UK wants an influx of cheap labour for whatever . . . cheap Somalian or Nigerian nurses for the NHS for example . . . then these will be fast-tracked in a more privileged way than anyone from EU.

If you come up against this kind of thing, let me add that it isn't, in my experience, worth writing to your MEP or petitioning the EU. (You don't have the time anyway.)

The EU does not exist for its citizens and the citizen's rights charter, which is overridden and compromised by national procedures, isn't worth the paper it is written on.

[awaytogo]

1.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22714147

EU sues Spain over hospitals' rejection of EU health card (The European Health Insurance Card entitles you to the same state healthcare as a citizen in that country - this includes prescriptions, GP visits and hospital stays.)

2.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22712569

The UK is to be taken to the European Court of Justice over its alleged failure to correctly assess whether EU migrants are entitled to benefits.

Seems no EU countries want to fund other EU countries benefits or health care...

Yup

Always amazes me how it is important that you have medical insurance when you go to Spain, When in Majorca i tried to use my E111 when i needed to see a doctor and was told by the hotel reception the nearest place i could use it was in Palma which was on the other end of the Island when there were a couple of medical centres within a few hundred metres, obviously i had to use my insurance. I used to think the EU was a good idea but now believe it is a very uneven system with regards to benefits, healthcare etc and believe it will sink us in the end unless something is done.

[winkie]

I liked the idea of the EU once but my views are slowly changing.....can anyone name something good the EU has done for us?.....I agree with free trading and also freedom to visit and work in each others countries, what else has it done of any benefit?......I don't believe it is set up to help most of the residents of Europe.

People should have travel insurance when they visit a foreign country.....like people should have insurance when they visit the UK.

[cica]

People should have travel insurance when they visit a foreign country.....like people should have insurance when they visit the UK.

But the EU cards should work or not exist. I bet Spain issues them to its citizens. In fact, I know they do.

[snowflux]

I liked the idea of the EU once but my views are slowly changing.....can anyone name something good the EU has done for us?.....I agree with free trading and also freedom to visit and work in each others countries, what else has it done of any benefit?......I don't believe it is set up to help most of the residents of Europe.

People should have travel insurance when they visit a foreign country.....like people should have insurance when they visit the UK.

Um, allow us to travel to foreign countries without having to buy insurance or risk a large bill?

[winkie]

Um, allow us to travel to foreign countries without having to buy insurance or risk a large bill?

......Well I think for the little cost of insurance it is well worth it, the insurance should cover for much more than what a state hospital will cover for....anyway what it costs the country each day to stay in the EU do you think it is money well spent, a very expensive club indeed.

[alexw]

I liked the idea of the EU once but my views are slowly changing.....can anyone name something good the EU has done for us?.....I agree with free trading and also freedom to visit and work in each others countries, what else has it done of any benefit?......I don't believe it is set up to help most of the residents of Europe.

People should have travel insurance when they visit a foreign country.....like people should have insurance when they visit the UK.

It has done some good I think.

There was the extortionate roaming charges that the mobile telecoms charged that the EU ended. It also seems to be cracking down heavily on tax evasion and avoidance right now, for example it's going after Switzerland, Liechtenstein and the other small territories that deliberately facilitate tax evasion & avoidance in the larger EU states.

Thus the question should be how do we keep the good bits of the EU while getting rid of the bad.

[Deckard]

It has done some good I think.

There was the extortionate roaming charges that the mobile telecoms charged that the EU ended. It also seems to be cracking down heavily on tax evasion and avoidance right now, for example it's going after Switzerland, Liechtenstein and the other small territories that deliberately facilitate tax evasion & avoidance in the larger EU states.

Thus the question should be how do we keep the good bits of the EU while getting rid of the bad.

The EU's "four freedoms" (free movement of goods, capital, services, and people) are an absolutely necessity and have helped Europe immensely.

That's where it should stop. On paper, it's simple: keep the four freedoms, scrap the Euro folly.

Unfortunately, so much political capital has been invested in this doomed project, that now only a dissolution brought about by the inevitable economic e social collapse can rid us of the nightmare.

As soon as it does, watch the blame game unfold.

[mfp123]

It has done some good I think.

There was the extortionate roaming charges that the mobile telecoms charged that the EU ended. It also seems to be cracking down heavily on tax evasion and avoidance right now, for example it's going after Switzerland, Liechtenstein and the other small territories that deliberately facilitate tax evasion & avoidance in the larger EU states.

Thus the question should be how do we keep the good bits of the EU while getting rid of the bad.

you cant because the EU is the bad.

the EC (pre 1992) was fine, the EU on the otherhand is a political project with a single goal. all you would be doing is working out what the best route is to keep moving along the wrong path. its like trying to find the best way to make communism work.

youd need to get rid of the European Union and its current system and get back to the European Community.

it should be more of a cooperative system. if you want to opt in and cooperate on something you can, if you want to stay out you can.

its already exists with the Euro and shengen agreements. everyones happy. you want in youre in, you want out, youre out.

[mfp123]

Our government is using the EU against those nasty countries that are trying to get rid of plastic bags in their countries on behalf of free trade and our industry.

http://www.dailymail...o=feeds-newsxml

thats just it. if italy want to ban plastic bags they should be allowed to.

if the UK doesnt want to it shouldnt have to.

there doesnt need to be a one size fits all for everything.

the world is becoming more diverse, europe is becoming more homogenised. its going backwards to a bygone era. its basically empire building. snuff out diversity, make everything the same.

[Guest TheBlueCat]

Aside from 50 years of peace and prosperity, nothing much of any importance. Personally, I think the EU - but not the Euro - is a great thing for mainland Europe. From the UK's perspective, it's been good because it's arguable prevented Germany from starting any more wars and it's given us free trade but, otherwise, it's basically incompatible with just about every aspect of our history and way of life. We should get out now whilst we still can.

[SuperChimp]

Aside from 50 years of peace and prosperity, nothing much of any importance.

+1

Very few voters seemed bothered about the EU 5 years ago before some politicians found it convenient to jump on the EU-bashing band wagon .Just like post 2010 with the demonisation of benefit claimants.

The EU is a pussy cat compared to the private banking establishment and the damage it does to us on a daily basis.

I am always amazed at how effective the mainstream media is.

[Take Me Back To London!]

Our government is using the EU against those nasty countries that are trying to get rid of plastic bags in their countries on behalf of free trade and our industry.

http://www.dailymail...o=feeds-newsxml

Just to add, there are still carrier bags in use, for example at the supermakets, in Italy, just that they are biodegradable and you have to buy them at 10 cents a go.

[pl1]

It's an easy fix. You all know what it is.

[R K]

None of us have had to die to defend our German Queen from errr.....Germany. Yet.

That p1sses all over s-dding olive oil regs imo.

[Pindar]

I don't get it - "do for us"? The EU is about helping big corporations their lobbyists and politicians, nothing more. EU employment is basically a resolving door. There is nothing for us from the EU because it's based on the same corrupt system that runs our own country.

Very weak case in point, sativex deemed to have no or few side effects as a pharmaceutical drug becomes a dangerous class b drug for the public domain. So basically take a natural compound that shows great promise, ban it using some negative propaganda then rebrand it safe as a pharmaceutical.

+1

The EU is basically a centralised administrative convenience for corporations. Overriding democracy and acting against the public interest is its prime objective.

[wonderpup]

I don't believe it is set up to help most of the residents of Europe.

The EU Elites have drunk deep at the trough of both taxpayer money and neo liberal economics- the only time they notice the little guy is when they are looking to reach into his pocket-again- or serve him up on the alter of the latest Neo-Con fad out of Chicago.

I might be turning into Nigel Farage- but it's starting to feel good.

Worryingly for the Brussels Sprouts I was until quite recently a big fan of the EU- that's before I watched them f*ck the Greek people to save the German and French banks- while pretending to be 'helping' the Greek people.

I realise now that the EU is just a prosthetic of German national self interest- and like all prosthetics not entirely convincing in it's attempt to look like something else.