tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141932539860553199.post2831891490646260691..comments2024-03-05T10:52:24.691+00:00Comments on Mark Wadsworth: Is this the best the EU can come up with?Mark Wadsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07733511175178098449noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141932539860553199.post-89880945452466075502015-11-04T13:47:41.612+00:002015-11-04T13:47:41.612+00:00Kj, thank you. That is very useful info.Kj, thank you. That is very useful info.Mark Wadsworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07733511175178098449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1141932539860553199.post-74088767366978442772015-11-04T11:38:34.581+00:002015-11-04T11:38:34.581+00:00The EEA-deal is about handing out a bit of cash to...The EEA-deal is about handing out a bit of cash to the poorer EU-states, and this amounts to 78 EUR per capita annually. In addition the Norwegian govt participate in several EU "programmes" by choice, not part of the EEA deal, in which we pay an additional 60EUR per capita per year. Big whoop. <br />Let's say that the UK needs to pay as much, which is unlikely - If you multiply those costs with the UK population, that comes to around 8,3 bn EUR, around 6bn £, UK contribution now is what, 16-17 bn £?<br />It's unproblematic that we subscribe to (most) EU-regs as a part of the deal, whether we get to "being part of the deciscion-making" isn't really here nor there, the EU is fundamentally undemocratic anyway. We can and have not ratified those who don't fly in domestic politics. Not that there aren't running issues; the service directive and the whole free EU Labour migration thing isn't uncontroversial.<br />The Swiss have an even better deal IMO, but the end result isn't that much different. Both have exempted farming, and Norway has still gotten away with free trade in Salmon. The Swiss do not comply with the VAT-Directive, we do. So evidently, there are all sorts of arrangements you could do to suit the UK, and arguably the UK has even more leverage than us, so why the hell not?Kjhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13530243002915410700noreply@blogger.com