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Britainâs EU rebate under threat
This was brought up yesterday. Looks like itâs the next big EU issue for Britain...Robert Kilroy-Silk, MEP, has called on the Prime Minister to use his veto to stop the European Commission slashing Britainâs contributions rebate. Mr Kilroy-Silk urged Tony Blair to stop "our money from being spent in eastern Europe". In a letter to the Prime Minister the newly-elected UKIP MEP for the East Midlands echoed Margaret Thatcherâs mantra that "we want our money back" from Brussels. We âgot it backâ. Now we want to keep it. But all this is really rather strange terminology seeing as its our money to begin with... The Commissionâs financial proposals seek to curb the rebate, which saves the Treasury more than £2 billion a year on the nationâs contributions towards running the EU. Again, strange terminology. Itâs not really going âtowards running the EUâ, itâs going towards subsidies and expenditure elsewhere in the EU. Actually ârunningâ the EU, in terms of administration, even with the best efforts of the continental fat cats, doesnât have much to do with it. The rebate was hard-won by Mrs Thatcher in 1984, after grudging acceptance of her argument that Britain was the biggest net contributor to the Brussels kitty despite being nowhere near the top of the European wealth league table. Britain is the only nation to qualify for a special adjustment - the rebate - because heavily distorted agriculture payments benefit countries such as France far more than they benefit the Britain. Because French farmers are inefficient, British taxpayers should subsidise them, and help maintain their âcultural exceptionalismâ, or whatever bullshit they call it. Twenty years on, with the share of agriculture spending coming down, pressure is on for the unique rebate to be taken away and redistributed to poorer nations among the 25 member states. Ahh, redistribution. RUN FOR THE HILLS!!! The idea is outlined in EU financing plans for 2007-2013, due to be tabled by Michaele Schreyer, EU budget Commissioner. Mr Kilroy-Silk, the former TV presenter and ex-Labour MP, said he was insisting Mr Blair wields the veto he has in EU decisions on financial arrangements. Keep up the good work, O Man of Orange Posted by: Bulldog 2004-07-14 |
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