Article

2005-06-20 Europe

Poles hit out at 'national egoism' in France, Germany and Britain

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Posted by too true 2005-06-20 10:13|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Hidden in all of this is the significant tension that now exists between "old" and "new" Europe. Interestingly, it is the "new" guys that want to keep the Union strong and expanding and on-budget and with-purpose versus the "old" guys who only want to "twitch" their pecs. Poland and the Balts offered to accept reduced payments from the EU in order to allow the UK to get its usual and entitled rebate. Even that was received as being unacceptable since it would show the "old" rich guys as needing help from the poor "new" guys. Can't have that can we?

Posted by Jack is Back!">Jack is Back! 2005-06-20 14:00|| 2005-06-20 14:00|| Front Page Top

#2 After a good thunderstorm the air is much fresher.

Blair cannot justify the British rebate any longer BUT he is right about the idiocy of agricultural subsidies. They should be drastically reduced.

Chirac won't bite: His stauchest supporters are French farmers. The stupidity of the subsidies is that mostly the big agricultural enterprises benefit from them, not the small farmer with his 20 cows.

But the real issue will be to find out where we want Europe to go:

1) A free market, with free exchange of goods, services and people, but no political union (The British Way)
2) A not so free market, with high subsidies, bureaucracy and a political role in a "multipolar world" (French Way)
3) A bit of a mix (current German position, likely to change)

My way?
Leaning on the British model, but Europe should have common political aims as well, a cohesion of states that goes beyond merely economical issues. Europe is more than a free market.

Posted by True German Ally 2005-06-20 14:11|| 2005-06-20 14:11|| Front Page Top

#3 but Europe should have common political aims as well

Which will boil down to French & German aims. Won't work unless Europe goes for option 1.a.) free market, with free exchange of goods, services and people, and some form of political union (in other words, a US of E, totally like the US of A... but that's a long time off).

Posted by Rafael 2005-06-20 14:25|| 2005-06-20 14:25|| Front Page Top

#4 The unholy Chirac/SchrÃ¶der only hides that France and Germany actually do NOT have the same political interests.

Germany will look to Central and Eastern Europe. France hasn't much to offer except overpriced whine and running cheese.

OK Airbus isn't too bad.

Posted by True German Ally 2005-06-20 14:46|| 2005-06-20 14:46|| Front Page Top

#5 And Germany has beer. Wonderful, tasty beer.

And Frauen...

Posted by mmurray821 2005-06-20 16:35|| 2005-06-20 16:35|| Front Page Top

#6 Blair cannot justify the British rebate any longer

Why not? AIUI Britain recieves less per capita than wny other EU member from CAP spending. Why should any one country be the lowest recipient and not receive some form of compensation?

Posted by Bulldog ">Bulldog 2005-06-20 18:59|| 2005-06-20 18:59|| Front Page Top

#7 Bulldog, that should read "the full rebate". The UK (with the rebate) is the second biggest net payer (after Germany).
But I guess we agree that not every country can be a net beneficiary.
The real problem is France. You have all my sympathies for not wanting to subsidize French farmers.
If EU money is put to good use, I'm sure the UK is willing to compromise on the rebate. That's how I understand Blair. The system is rotten.

Posted by True German Ally 2005-06-20 21:09|| 2005-06-20 21:09|| Front Page Top

#8 To clarify net payments (Source EU Commission 2003):
With the rebate:

Germany: 7,7 bn
UK: 2,8 bn
France: 1,9 bn

Without the rebate:

Germany: 7,2 bn
UK: 8 bn
France: 0,3 bn

It's quite obvious that Germany would not benefit that much, France a bit more.

But if Tony renegotiates the agricultural subsidies this would REALLY hurt France (and Germany to a lesser extent).

So it was much easier for France to block everything and make Tony look like the bad boy.

Well, frankly, the sums we are talking about aren't that exorbitant.

But you see the gap between German and British contributions per capita is rather significant (even more considering France of course).

Posted by True German Ally 2005-06-20 21:26|| 2005-06-20 21:26|| Front Page Top

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