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EU cost rises by £500m

Sunday, August 9th, 2009

Britain’s payments to Brussels have rocketed by more than £500 MILLION a year.
(News of the World, 9 August 2009)
New figures reveal we handed over £16.3 BILLION last year – £537 more than the year before”  In 2008 the UK did not pay £16.3 billion in the EU budget, but rather 16.3 billion Euro, of which it got back straight away 6.25 billion Euro under what is known the UK rebate. EU budgets are expressed in Euros, so figures should be converted into pounds. This means that in 2008 the UK paid 10.11 billion Euro or roughly £8 billion.

 

It’s far too simplistic and perverse to confine the European Union to a price tag. There are an array of benefits – recognised and supported by a majority of the British public, according to a recent poll – that are difficult to quantify in cash: such as being part of a market of almost 500 million people, a cleaner and safer environment, and better security. It’s like saying that it costs money to buy a house without saying that you need a house in the first place and that you would be in much worse situation without it!

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Light bulbs lose wattage markings

Sunday, May 24th, 2009

Light bulbs are to lose their wattage markings thanks to new European Union rules.  It has decided to replace the energy measurements with wording revealing the power in “lumens” – the amount of light a bulb gives out.
(The Mail on Sunday, 24 May 2009) 

 

Let’s shine some light on the facts.

Firstly, light bulb packaging will continue to display watts. In fact it is compulsory for them to do so.
Secondly, the only change from 2010 is that the display of lumens will have to be larger than the display in watts. This is so consumers grow accustomed to comparing lamps based on their real performance, the quantity of light produced, not their wattage, which just measures the electricity consumed.

For instance: the same quantity of light (around 750 lumens) can be produced by an incandescent bulb using 60 W, a halogen bulb using 42 W, or a compact fluorescent lamp using 15 W.

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Banning plasma TVs

Monday, January 12th, 2009

Energy-guzzling plasma TVs will be banned in Brussels eco blitz
(Daily Mail, 12th January 2009)
Giant energy-guzzling flatscreens are expected to be banned under legislation due to be agreed by the EU this spring. Plasma screens have been nicknamed the ‘4x4s’ of the living room because they use up to four times as much electricity and are responsible for up to four times as much carbon dioxide as traditional cathode ray tube sets…

Now the EU wants to ban your plasma television (Daily Express, 12th January 2009)
In its battle against global warming the EU wants to phase out the most inefficient TVs.
The move has been blasted by civil rights campaigner and Daily Express columnist Ann Widdecombe. The Tory MP condemned the plans as “outrageous interference” in people’s personal lives…

 

Stories stating that large plasma TVs are set to be banned under EU legislation this spring are not correct, there is no proposal to ban plasma screens.

Two measures are to be introduced:

1. Minimum standards for the energy efficiency of televisions, including plasma TV screens.
2. A TV energy-labeling scheme using the well known A-G classes which already exist for products like washing machines and fridges.

Televisions are a common household appliance that require a considerable amount of energy. The aim of these measures is to reduce CO2 emissions and help combat dangerous climate change, while saving people a lot of money. Only the new and emerging TV technology is being targeted, so people can continue using their current TVs without any problems. The quality and availability of new plasma TV screens will not be affected, the public will simply be able to make an informed decision regarding a TV’s energy efficiency when making a purchase. The manufacturing industry has welcomed the initiative.

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“Ludicrous” EU regulation bans using combine harvesters in the wet (2008)

Thursday, October 23rd, 2008

EU wet land ban on combines branded ‘stupid’ by NFU peer
(Yorkshire Post, 23 October 2008)

European law which bans farmers from using their combine harvesters on wet soil has been criticised by prominent members of the House of Lords.
Former Commons Speaker, Baroness Boothroyd, described the laws as “ludicrous” while former National Farmers’ Union (NFU) president Lord Plumb referred to them as “one of the most stupid ever” during question time in the House of Lords. 

Contrary to what the Yorkshire Post reported, Brussels has no rules on whether combine harvesters can be used on wet soil. Member States are required to establish national standards on good agricultural and environmental conditions and as part of that the UK has decided to adopt a prohibition on using such machinery on waterlogged soil or saturated ground. This is the responsibility of the UK government and not part of EU legislation.

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EU bans eating competition cakes

Sunday, August 24th, 2008

Euromyth: EU bans eating of competition cake (Timesonline.co.uk, 24 August 2008)
Bakery competitions have become the latest tradition to fall foul of Brussels bureaucrats. New EU regulations have banned the consumption of cakes and scones entered at country fairs, preventing contestants from enjoying their winning entries. The Scottish Women’s Rural Institutes has ordered contestants at shows to destroy all cakes submitted immediately following competitions.

 

Orders to destroy competition cakes have not been baked-up by Brussels’ bureaucrats.

The “new” EU food hygiene legislation has been applied throughout the UK from 1 January 2006.

The rules apply to “food businesses” – and not those events held by the Scottish Women’s Rural Institutes, or any other local church, school or village fair, where food is prepared occasionally.

See 3.8, p10 factsheet

Following the misleading media coverage, the Scottish Women’s Rural Institutes has now issued this statement:
“The SWRI wishes to make it clear that in no way has the EU banned the consumption of competition cakes entered into baking contests at Country Shows. Most Federations within the SWRI hold a show every year or every two years, with hundreds of cakes being made for these shows. They have not ordered their members to destroy all cakes submitted immediately after the prize giving ceremony, however realising the importance of health and safety they do enforce that any cake containing fresh cream, eggs or butter is disposed of at the end of the show, to avoid any outbreak of food poisoning. To avoid food waste the Institute has recommend that their members to bake smaller-sized cakes, but again this is not under any instructions from the EU.”

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Acres outlawed by Brussels

Monday, July 21st, 2008

Rolling acres are outlawed by Brussels (The Daily Telegraph, 21 July 2008, p1)
The acre, one of Britain’s historic imperial measurements, is to be banned under a new European directive.  It will no longer be allowed in measurements when land is being registered and will be replaced by the hectare – 2.471 acres.

Acreshaker – EU meddlers sneak in a ban on our historic land measure (The Sun, 21 July 2008, p6 and p8)
EU chiefs have secretly BANNED Britain from using the acre – one of our oldest forms of measurement. Ministers killed it off when they put up no objection to a European Commission directive outlawing its use…… British farmers and estate agents will have to use the word “hectare” from January 1, 2010.

Now the EU is to ban the acre (Daily Express, 21 July 2008, p10 and p12)
The acre is set to be banned after the EU announced that Labour has agreed to the abolition of yet another part of the British way of life. The Government’s surrender – buried in the small print of an EU document last week – would also make it more likely that rules will be removed from road signs in favour of the kilometre.

After 800 years, the acre is history (Daily Mail, 22 July 2008, p17)
The use of an ancient British imperial measurement – the acre – is to be restricted under a new EU ruling.  It will no longer be allowed for land registration from 2010 and will be replaced by the metric equivalent, the hectare.

 Brussels, stay off our little patch of land (The Times, 22 July 2008, p24)
…. Brussels now insists that the acre is one anachronism too far.  From 2010, the word must no longer be mentioned.  From 2010, the word must no longer be mentioned.

Contrary to the “acres” of press coverage, the EU has not banned this unit of measurement.
Legislation being brought in to safeguard the use of the mile and the pint simply removes the exemption for the use of acres in land registry to reflect current UK practice.

The Land Registry has worked in hectares since 1995.

Hectares have also routinely been used for the past 20 years by the UK government in dealings with farmers.
Private landowners advertising the size of their land can continue to do so but must give the equivalent in hectares, as has been the case for more than a decade.

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Bed and Breakfast – kitchen ban on dogs

Thursday, June 12th, 2008

Farm B&Bs may be forced to close as EU bureaucrats ban owners’ pet dogs from kitchen
(Daily Mail, Thursday June 12, 2008)

EU ruling could send B&Bs to the dogs (Western Morning News (Plymouth),June 12, 2008)

Brussels orders dogs out of B&B kitchens (The Times,Thursday June 12, 2008)

Brussels and the ruling that’s just barking mad (Daily Express,Thursday June 12, 2008)

Dog ban means hundreds of B&Bs face closure (Telegraph,Thursday June 12, 2008)

The EU legislation on hygiene of foodstaffs does not specifically state that dogs should not be allowed into Bed and Breakfast kitchens. EU rules on food hygiene standards state that Adequate procedures are (also) to be in place to prevent domestic animals from having access to places where food is being prepared, handled or stored, (or where the competent authority so permits in special cases, to prevent such access from resulting in contamination. This allows for flexibility in implementation, which is decided on by the member states.
The British Food Standards Agency recommends that domestic pets should be kept out of B&B kitchens when preparing food, but also states that allowing domestic animals in kitchens in other times is reasonable as long as high standards of food hygiene can be maintained by thoroughly cleaning the areas before preparing food.
Thus recommendations do not ban dogs from kitchens at all times. Moreover, food hygiene concerns can hardly be called barking mad. As always, common sense is the best approach.

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No EU Plans to abolish Britain!

Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008

“On St. George’s Day, say goodbye to England”
(Daily Telegraph, 23 April 2008)

“Up the Pole” – Revealed: EU’s secret plot to abolish Britain
(The Sun, 23 April 2008)

“How Brussels has wiped England and the English Channel off the map”
(Daily Mail, 23 April 2008)

Revealed: EU’s secret plot to ban Britain
(Daily Express, 23 April 2008)

These articles are utterly false and have no basis in reality. Here are the facts:

This has nothing to do with drawing up administrative borders, which is something the UK is deciding on

This is nothing new:

INTERREG (European Territorial Cooperation objective since 2007) which promotes cross-border, transnational and interregional cooperation has existed since 1990 when the first Community Initiative was launched (INTERREG II : 1994-1999, INTERREG III 2000-2007)

In total UK participates in 4 cross-border, 4 transnational and in all the interregional (networking) programmes (see attached country fiche).

The only new programme the UK is participating in is the quadrilateral “2 Seas” cross-border cooperation programme involving FR, UK, BE, NL which has been created in 2007 because all coastal areas in the Channel area have become eligible for cross-border cooperation.

Neither of the two cross-border cooperation programmes across the English Channel are yet officially adopted. There are e.g. no official maps of the type shown.

There are some serious errors of fact:

There are absolutely no secret plans and no goal of creating a United States of Europe. The process has been entirely transparent and has involved local politicians of all parties.

There are no transnational regional assemblies.

The name of the programme across the English Channel between UK and France will feature in both languages.

The maps indicated in the articles have not been produced by the Commission/EU.

There are absolutely no provisions that projects have to fly the EU flag at least one week every year (this is for the managing authority only).

The articles are riddled with mis-representations, such as:

The Channel programme is not “ruled” by Lille. The joint managing authority (appointed by the participating partner countries) is located there and the programme is steered by a programme monitoring committee which includes an equal share of members from the participating countries.

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You’re alright, love, the EU’s not banning saying ‘love’ in pubs

Monday, March 31st, 2008

“Insult to democracy and common sense” (Daily Mail, 31 March 2008)

“EU have gone too far Harriet, love” (The Sun, 1 April 2008)

 “Chat up bar girl and pub will be fined” (Daily Star, 1 April 2008)

According to the papers, all pub landlords are required to prevent customers from chatting up bar staff or calling them ‘love’ or ‘darling’ and will face unlimited damages if they fail to do so. The Sun blames this on the EU: “[Harriet Harman, the Women and Equalities Minister] has sneaked this new law through without having to bother with parliament because, as you will have guessed, it is the latest rubbish to come out of the EU.” The Mail blasts in its editorial: “Nobody voted for it. It was dreamed up by unelected bureaucrats in Brussels and is now being imposed on Britain without parliamentary debate of division”. The Star is happy to hint at an EU link by stating that “Minister Harriet Harman, 57, has power under the EU to amend discrimination law.”

You’re alright, love. EU rules on equal treatment don’t get into pubs – it’s up to the national authorities, sweetheart, to decide what you can and cannot say in your local. So not to worry, poppet. And we all know, hinny, there’s plenty more nonsense where that one came from!
The aim of EU rules on equal treatment is to protect employees from any forms of discrimination or sexual harassment. However, it is up to the member state to define the specific rules for different places of employment.
Also, in general, the European Commission does not provide legal assessment on individual cases. It is for the national jurisdiction to assess in detail whether discrimination has taken place or not.

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EU asks women about their sex lives

Wednesday, November 21st, 2007

“Women could be asked intimate details about their sex lives in a planned EU census”
(Express, 21 November 2007, p.2)

 “Become a virgin protest to foil EU”: Women are being told to claim they are virgins if intrusive census proposals are agreed by Brussels”
(Metro, 21 November 2007, p.2)

“Have EU had a lot of love”? A census demanding details about women’s sexual partners is being voted on by MEPs today.”
(The Daily Mirror, 21 November 2007, p.31)

“MEPs scotch Brussels census plan”
(Daily Telegraph,Financial Times, 22 November 2007)

The Commission proposal contains no questions related to sexual behaviour, and does not ask women to report on “how many live-in partners they had had”. The purpose of the proposal for a regulation is to make the results of the population and housing censuses in the European Union more comparable. The question on whether a women lives in a marriage or a “consensual union” (an unmarried partnership) was not intended to obtain information on her sexual behaviour. The intention was to have aggregated data that could shed some light on the living and family circumstances of women in general, at a time when unmarried partnerships have become more and more prevalent. In the countries of today’s EU, one out of twenty newborn children were born outside marriage in 1960; in 2005 this ratio stood at one out of every three children. This is why topics related to the living arrangements of persons have become established within demographic and social studies.

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