The Euro Crisis Explained...

[Rusty]

No it isn't.  [img alt=]http://foc-u.co.uk/Smileys/efocicon/smile.gif[/img] We were sold a supposed trade agreement in joining the 'common market', that's all we wanted or needed. All this extra regulation, EU directives for this and that etc are undemocratic and were never voted for.

The whole point of a common market is that it is common.  That means a level playing field, which means regulation and directives. 

 

If it were simply a 'market' I could agree, and if those directives, rules, and regulations related solely to trade then again there would be a case for them. Unfortunately the facts are that far from simply pertaining to trade the EU has taken upon itself the mantle of government, and a government of unelected bureaucrats is not a democracy.

If we back out of Europe, to access their market we will still have to play by their rules, but instead of having a say in the rules and shaping them we will be at the mercy of others, and if we don't play ball we'll face export restrictions.  Any talk of pulling out of Europe is economic suicide.

Is Switzerland an example of this 'economic suicide' perhaps?  If so nobody appears to have told them that they are dead, consequently in their ignorance the country is doing very well indeed.  The real fear of the EU is that Greece will depart only to recover, setting an example to Spain, Portugal and others. The EU is a ruinous waste of money, and the myth of us living on the edge of Europe should we leave is a lie propagated by those that have an interest in federalism. We can trade freely with Europe without being hamstrung by global emission targets, work directives, health and safety initiatives, and other such claptrap. Besides, there are enormous emerging markets in India and China that will devour any loss of trade to Europe, and it is a share of those that we should be aiming for should the EU spits its dummy out.