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What have the Europeans ever done for us?

What have the Europeans ever done for us?

Old Mar 3rd 2016, 11:39 am
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Default What have the Europeans ever done for us?

Remember the quote from Monty Pythons The Life of Brian 'what have the Romans ever done for us'.

Looking back at the history of the European Union and keeping it light hearted, if the question asked was 'what has the European Union ever done for us?'
what would be some of your responses?

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Old Mar 3rd 2016, 11:59 am
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Default Re: What have the Europeans ever done for us?

Originally Posted by bobbyleo
Remember the quote from Monty Pythons The Life of Brian 'what have the Romans ever done for us'.

Looking back at the history of the European Union and keeping it light hearted, if the question asked was 'what have the European Union ever done for us?'
what would be some of your responses?
Most people seem to overlook that the EU consists of 28 member states of which the UK is one.

It is not an organisation consisting of 27 member states "doing things" to (or for) us.
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Old Mar 3rd 2016, 12:10 pm
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Default Re: What have the Europeans ever done for us?

You might as well ask: What has Great Britain done for England?
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Old Mar 3rd 2016, 12:11 pm
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Default Re: What have the Europeans ever done for us?

Our bananas are straighter
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Old Mar 3rd 2016, 12:16 pm
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Default Re: What have the Europeans ever done for us?

Only pasties made in Cornwall to the traditional recipe can be labelled as Cornish pasties
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Old Mar 3rd 2016, 12:24 pm
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Default Re: What have the Europeans ever done for us?

Originally Posted by bobbyleo
Remember the quote from Monty Pythons The Life of Brian 'what have the Romans ever done for us'. Looking back at the history of the European Union and keeping it light hearted, if the question asked was 'what have the European Union ever done for us?'what would be some of your responses?
This might show you:
The EU Near Me | EU
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Old Mar 3rd 2016, 12:30 pm
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Default Re: What have the Europeans ever done for us?

Originally Posted by Moses2013
This might show you:
The EU Near Me | EU
Excellent link, but what it doesn't show is the billions of euros UK universities receive for collaborative research projects (and facilities).

Or the fact that UK restaurant food is now edible.
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Old Mar 3rd 2016, 12:30 pm
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Default Re: What have the Europeans ever done for us?

Apparently, most of the silly EU stories about straight bananas, square strawberries etc. originated from the pen of Boris Johnson, when he was working for the Daily Telegraph. His subsequent switch from journalism to politics explains why those stories died away.

No doubt, his campaign for Brexit will show just as much commitment to la vérité as his journalism did.
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Old Mar 3rd 2016, 12:36 pm
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Default Re: What have the Europeans ever done for us?

Originally Posted by Novocastrian
Excellent link, but what it doesn't show is the billions of euros UK universities receive for collaborative research projects (and facilities). Or the fact that UK restaurant food is now edible.
You are right with universities, but this could be in relation to restaurants:-)Food Watchdogs | EUPeople often forget the benefits of being in the EU, because it's just become normal to have them.
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Old Mar 3rd 2016, 12:41 pm
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Default Re: What have the Europeans ever done for us?

Originally Posted by Moses2013
This might show you:
The EU Near Me | EU
Good link that shows how much EU money has been contributed.

Any idea how much in financial terms the UK has provided or is still providing the EU as a comparison?
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Old Mar 3rd 2016, 12:47 pm
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Default Re: What have the Europeans ever done for us?

Originally Posted by bobbyleo
Good link that shows how much EU money has been contributed. Any idea how much in financial terms the UK has provided or is still providing the EU as a comparison?
It shows all the data here.
United Kingdom - EU Budget in my country - European Commission


The UK pays more into the EU budget than it receives from it. However, the net balance does not accurately reflect the many benefits of EU membership. Many of them, such as peace, political stability, security and freedom to live, work, study and travel anywhere in the Union cannot be measured. The UK government estimates that the single market brings in between GBP 31 billion and GBP 92 billion a year into the UK economy – or between 5 and 15 times the UK net contribution to the EU budget, which, once the UK’s rebate is taken into account, amounted to about GBP 7.258 billion - EUR 8.641 billion in 2013.
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Old Mar 3rd 2016, 12:49 pm
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Default Re: What have the Europeans ever done for us?

This source states the UK contributes about €4.7bn more than it receives

from

http://www.theguardian.com/news/data...european-union

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Old Mar 3rd 2016, 1:08 pm
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Default Re: What have the Europeans ever done for us?

Originally Posted by bobbyleo
This source states the UK contributes about €4.7bn more than it receives

from

EU budget: how much does each country pay and where does it get spent? | News | The Guardian
....which, the same source points out is less than 0.5% of the UK GNI.
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Old Mar 4th 2016, 8:12 pm
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Default Re: What have the Europeans ever done for us?

Originally Posted by bobbyleo
Remember the quote from Monty Pythons The Life of Brian 'what have the Romans ever done for us'.

Looking back at the history of the European Union and keeping it light hearted, if the question asked was 'what has the European Union ever done for us?'
what would be some of your responses?
If the question is being asked in the context of deciding whether to remain in or leave the EU, then it's not really a light-hearted kind of question.

What has the EU done for us?

Brits have the right to live and work in any other EU and EEA member state. That many prefer to complain about other EU nationals coming here and taking our jobs/benefits when they have the right to do the same but aren't interested in learning about other cultures other than throwing up on the streets of Ibiza and Lanzarote after drinking way too much alcohol.

British companies can export to any other EU and EEA country with much less red tape and with one set of standards. Other countries can export to Britain with the same knowledge.

The EU has brought into force regulations on how many hours an employee can legally be required to work per week (the Working Time Directive), requiring temporary workers to be given the same employment rights as permanent employees after 12 weeks (the Agency Workers Directive), and on driving hours and rest periods. These regulations were brought into force across the EU so that a company in France is subject to the same rules as a company in Italy or the UK, and that neither has an unfair competitive advantage.

There are many other equally important reasons.
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Old Mar 5th 2016, 5:00 am
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Default Re: What have the Europeans ever done for us?

Originally Posted by Moses2013
This might show you:
The EU Near Me | EU
On the UK map click on the West Midlands and you get:
No case studies for West Midlands

Sorry but there is not any case study for this region.
So the EU doesn't claim to be doing anything for the 6 million or so people in my home area in the UK. That doesn't come as a huge surprise to me.
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