L410Turbolet From Czech Republic, joined May 2004, 5392 posts, RR: 19 Reply 3, posted (6 years 1 month 3 weeks 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 1691 times:
Quoting JGPH1A (Reply 1): Cue lots of English bah-humbug (from Kirkie) about the rebate and Polish plumbers Smile
Interesting since "Polish Plumber" is a French invention.
Quoting JGPH1A (Reply 1): I vote for a treaty amendment forcing all holdout countries to join the Euro within 12 months.
Even if they don't comply with the rules the EU set for Euro? BTW, You really think Euro is the biggest problem the EU is facing right now?
Emirates029 From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2007, 179 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (6 years 1 month 3 weeks 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 1691 times:
Not forgetting that doing such a thing would probably be distrastrous for those countries, economy-wise.
Its the EUs 50th anniversary, unfortunately...
JGPH1A From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 8, posted (6 years 1 month 3 weeks 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 1666 times:
Quoting Banco (Reply 2): Completely agree. The whole thing has been fabulous from start to finish. We should do it tomorrow. Oh yes
Since when has actual success been a measurement criterion for the EU ? Silly boy. Just accept the inevitable, let go, give in to your rage, your anger ! That way lies the path to the Dark Side ! BwuAH-HAhhahaha !!!
Signed
Valerie Giscard d'Estaing (aka Dark Lord Imperius of the Sith)
JGPH1A From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 14, posted (6 years 1 month 3 weeks 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 1607 times:
Quoting HAWK21M (Reply 13): So is there any special celebrations planned.
Yes - a special plenary session of the European Parliament is scheduled, where a bill will be passed forcing all member states to have only straight bananas, insisting that any non-French cheese now be labelled instead "rotted lactose of non-French origin", enforcing the sale of all solid and liquid comestibles in hectograms and decalitres, declaring any chocolate of less than 100% cocoa content "tile grout", granting an additional 100 trillion Euros in CAP grants to oyster and mussel farms in the high Pyrenees, and banning English as a language. I read it in the Daily Mail, so it must be true.
Beaucaire From Syria, joined Sep 2003, 5252 posts, RR: 26 Reply 15, posted (6 years 1 month 3 weeks 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 1602 times:
..we lack the signing -ceremony for Lichtenstein, Monaco,San Marino,Andorra,Vatican State and- last but not least -the Freistaat Bayern !
Europe is a great achievement -no doubt !
Without the visions of people like Schuhmann ,Adenauer , Paul Henri Spaak - this would never have taken off.
And thanks to the various treaties,the economy has become strong and robust,despite the increase of prices due to the introduction of the Euro.
Overall,one of the rare build-ups managed by politicians that actually worked.One should be critical but not neglect to recognize the importance and goal of the task.If criticism should be formulated,it's against the overpowering bureaucracy and duplication of sites (Bruxelles -Strasbourg..!!),the multiplication of stupid rules and laws.
But the bottom line is positive - happy birthday !
Fiatstilojtd From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 18, posted (6 years 1 month 3 weeks 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 1590 times:
Quoting JGPH1A (Reply 14): Yes - a special plenary session of the European Parliament is scheduled, where a bill will be passed forcing all member states to have only straight bananas, insisting that any non-French cheese now be labelled instead "rotted lactose of non-French origin", enforcing the sale of all solid and liquid comestibles in hectograms and decalitres, declaring any chocolate of less than 100% cocoa content "tile grout", granting an additional 100 trillion Euros in CAP grants to oyster and mussel farms in the high Pyrenees, and banning English as a language. I read it in the Daily Mail, so it must be true.
JGPH1A you forgot the Norm for the tractor-seat...I think you "forgot" that because you would not fit in.
Switzerland now is joining the Schengen Zone and has ratified the Dublin Agreement, while Norway and Iceland have been in the EEA for quite a while now. Actually, Federal Councillor Mrs Micheline Calmy-Rey has officially congratulated the E.U. these days and emphasized the importance of the E.U. for Switzerland.
-
well, let's see :
-
the Schengen area with those where it is not yet fully implemented in light blue
-
they ARE, however the U.K. and Ireland are NOT !
Oh yes, we very well are, even without wasting €4B a year on the EU
25 Bwest: Well, happy birthday Europe, and thanks for 50 years of prosperity and peace, as you succesfully succeeded keeping your member states of going to war
26 Aero145: Yes, let's damn it. Though semi-trans atlantic, the prices are around the same as transatlantic from fx. Deutschland... I think. I'm talking about th
27 Aloges: One more "Happy Birthday" from me! Thanks! Aren't you lot just jealous though that the EFTA never really took off?
28 Rara: I'm just back from the official birthday party at the Brandenburger Tor here in Berlin. Nice, even though very crowded. The US Embassy put a huge sign
31 Pelican: And another one (although a little late) from me..! pelican
32 ME AVN FAN: nice pictures were on TV about it. Things like this
33 Thom@s: We seem to be doing just fine outside of the EU... Thom@s
34 ME AVN FAN: Norway and Iceland and Liechtenstein have the EEA and Switzerland has the Bilaterals, and as shown above are in the Schengen-Zone, and that to me mea
35 Disruptivehair: Blech...don't like the EU. Norway has the right idea...all the benefits, none of the other B.S. I wish the UK was like Norway in that respect. We're
36 Rammstein: And that's nice. I love Europe because of its variety of cultures. The EU motto is In varietate concordia ("united in diversity") and sums the status
37 Paulc: More like commiserations - lets hope the eu is not around for its 51st!
38 1stfl94: Wow, I must be the only non Eurosceptic Brit on here!!
39 Disruptivehair: Euroscepticism does seem to be the mainstream of thought though I know some Brits who like the EU. Not many. I'm not a fan of the EU myself; it's a g
40 Banco: Probably the only one in the country. Careful, they'll be exhibiting you in Brussels.
41 Paulc: yep - in full complaince with the EU regulations on taxidermy!
42 ME AVN FAN: strange is that the U.K., while being a full E.U. member abstains from the Schengen-agreement, which countries like Norway and Switzerland have appro
43 NoUFO: Bureaucracy is a problem of the European Union, the same, however, goes for individual states as well. It's only so much easier to point the finger o
44 HAWK21M: Europe is so Tiny,but the Development is just amazing.Congrats to all you hard working people out there. regds MEL
45 Disruptivehair: That's the upside, I guess. The downside is that the UK government grossly underestimated the number of eastern European migrants coming from the new
46 ME AVN FAN: I do NOT see the problem to be really coming from the number of the East-European immigrants. In 1956/57 and 1968, Germany in total numbers and Austr
47 Disruptivehair: You may not see it (how would you...you're not here), but the BBC reported it today. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6494651.stm As I stated before
48 Banco: I don't see it either, and I do live here. Sure, a rush of economic migrants puts some strain on infrastructure, but they have been coming in because
49 Emirates029: I'm hoping in 2107 people will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the EU's demise
50 Gkirk: Celebrating 50 years of corruption? Fantastic
51 ME AVN FAN: - of course, as it in 2057 will have been replaced by the USE - - Listening to people like you, all over Europe, you might arrive at the idea that th
52 Banco: Different countries have different levels of acceptance of corruption. In the UK, that tolerance is extremely low, hence the enormous row over cash f
53 Andreas: Not quite! The French would like the EU run by FRENCH bureaucrats, the German government doesn't care as long as we get the big parties in Berlin and
54 Braybuddy: I find it fascinating that so many people in the UK say they dislike the EU, yet most seem to be quite happy living in an economic union of their own
55 Disruptivehair: Well, we're definitely seeing the effects here in York. My MIL in Rugby has told me they're having quite the effect there too. I'm not against easter
56 ME AVN FAN: it has lasted astonishingly long. To make forecasts is always risky, and if your crystal-ball tells you accordingly, I would NOT trust it. - I prefer
57 Banco: . I grew up in East Kent, the frontline of European immigration, legal and otherwise to this country. I'm well aware of the impact. I've read in vario
58 Gkirk: Blah the EU is run the same way as the Nazis. Wanting to take over countries independence. The killings may not be there but apart from that, there is
60 Gkirk: Not really. Are we forcing other countries to change currencies? Live to a certain standard? Speak a certain language? Take over independent countrie
61 Braybuddy: Well, you may still have your pride, but you did the first 200 years ago!
62 Pelican: Nobody forced great Britain or any other Nation to join the EU. Little advise - don't drink and post! pelican
63 NoUFO: Does the European Union force other countries to change currencies? What's wrong with improving living conditions in poorer European countries? What
64 Himmelstormer: I'm definitely pro-European even though some of its weaker points have been highlighted in other replies. I think its great that we can travel and tra
65 ME AVN FAN: Nobody in the EU is forced to speak a certain language. The EU even has many official languages including Maltese for example - no longer ...........
66 L410Turbolet: WTF??? Obviously you are too drunk to have a clue what you're writing or simply have a no clue at all. In either case your comparisons are just bizar
67 Gkirk: I didn't actually have a drink yesterday. I still stand by what I posted. Any country that now joins the EU is forced to change their currency to the
68 ME AVN FAN: - The culture in the different countries is NOT changed. The cultures are as different as before. You do NOT have the same cultures in the various co
69 Banco: Although no fan of the EU, Kirkie goes waaaay to far. Anyway, on this specific point, a common currency and a single currency are two separate matter
70 ME AVN FAN: there are British tourists travelling to "Euro-countries" and taking advantage of those countries only having ONE currency, which means that they can
71 Banco: It doesn't have the slightest impact at all. People have got lots of dollars too, so what? There is the convenience of having to change money just th
72 ME AVN FAN: there is NOT much enthusiasm around, but realism. You see, in Switzerland, the entry into the EEA, the European Economic Area, a kind of association
73 Banco: Yes, it is indeed rather different. And given that the majority of British trade is outside the Euro-zone, there isn't the pressing requirement in th
74 ME AVN FAN: the Euro was started not by the big "visionaries" of Germany and France, but by the pragmatist and realistic economy-oriented leaders Valery Giscard
75 Banco: You've got to be kidding. The same man that wrote the "constitution"? If the Euro was an economic project, they would never have fudged the figures t
76 ME AVN FAN: it only makes economic sense if as many countries as possible and not just an "elite" participate. Only to have the "elite" would drive the exchange-
77 Banco: No, that's a political perspective, not an economic one. The importance for any currency and treasury reserve is not scale, it is stability, and not
78 ME AVN FAN: single countries no longer can be anything with the currency, as the currency is in the hands of a Federal Central Bank. And stability is achieved by
79 Banco: That misses the point. When a country runs a heavy deficit in its finances, that impacts on its currency. When there is a single currency, but no rea
80 ME AVN FAN: while those serious economists in the central banks in general are under political command. It is different of course with economists at privately ow
81 Gkirk: You've been brainwashed by the French and Germans I see
82 Rara: Actually you're right with that. The EU does not have the means of fiscal policy it would need to absorb asynchronic shocks - shocks that would usual
83 Gkirk: Nobody. I like things that affect where I live to be controlled in Edinburgh, or at the very furthest, London. Not by someone at the corrupt EU hq in
84 ME AVN FAN: "Banco" put me into a serious problem in so far as I find it hard to separate politics and economy in regard to currency matters and fiscal policies.
85 Braybuddy: A good read for anyone interested is "The United Stated of Europe" (2004), by T R Reid who writes about the EU from an American perspective. Surprisin
86 Banco: Yes, I think that's true enough. And to that extent you could always say something is done for political or economic reasons depending on your perspe
87 Braybuddy: And you can lump us in there too Banco! We had the highest inflation in the EU at the time, and a lot of economists predicted disaster when we joined
88 Banco: The idea that people could go back even if they wanted to, is anyway somewhat silly, at least "on a whim". Where Ireland did well was with the govern
89 Braybuddy: True, but if things were bad, or heading in that direction, there would no doubt be an argument for leaving the euro. Not necessarily going back to t
90 Banco: Well, they did it rather by accident, when they stopped shadowing the Mark, and set the pound free to find its own level. Certainly the structural re
91 Braybuddy: Indeed. Even such respected journals as The Economist can get it badly wrong: it's often a cause of comment here that, since the late '90s, it has be
92 Cornish: The less said about my job title the better then And lets be honest here, Ireland's economic performance is all the more remarkable when you consider
93 ME AVN FAN: I recommend "Schoggi-Mark" and "Schoggi-Lira" etc ! You see, the Zurich Taler, the currency of Zurich disappeared in the second half of the 19th cent
94 Cornish: I LIKE this idea Just think, in Poland they could have the Choccy Zloty
95 Banco: I've never made any comment about "Chief Money-Launderer and Keeper of the Company Bribe"
96 Braybuddy: True, true. Thankfully we won't have that problem next year: this year's entry is DIRE!
97 Cornish: Johnny Logan's not involved then ? That's not my official title - thats what Private Eye call me. Incidentally, am I in it this week??
98 Braybuddy: Oh no. He's been in the doghouse recently since he said in an interview that a respected female journalist needed a "kick in the c***". Oh for the in
99 Cornish: Well the UK have gone for an ubercheesy effort featuring airline trolly dollies this year. Its as camp as a row of tents
100 Braybuddy: Well, isn't that what the Eurovision is all about? Who CARES about Finnish death metal?????????
101 Banco: It's every fortnight, so you'll have to wait a bit. You can work it out, how many "No comments" have you made to reporters recently?
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