eurealist.co.uk

Elmar Brok MEP, EP Rapporteur on the Enlargement Strategy, sees a high degree of agreement with regard to its future implications.

The EEA model also offers a visible political and economic added value for ENP states but also for example with respect to their internal security. In addition, the EEA model provides an enormous flexibility as an intermediate stage between the previous neighbourhood policy and full membership. At the end of this process, a far-reaching transfer of the EU acquis can be possible, such as in the case of Switzerland or Norway, Brok concluded.

The EU is to invest in operations of spas in the Asia-Pacific region by training up to 1,000 spa therapists over the next two years.

The programme has two key objectives. The first is to improve the business potential of 50 spa operators from each of the four participating countries by providing spa services that conform to European standards of spa operation.

The second is to enhance business relationships between spa operators and travel agents in the participating countries, in order to increase spa visits by European travelers.

I suppose they will tell us they need to spend this money to protect EU Citizens. But I cannot see what benefit it can be for British taxpayers to assits turism projects in the Asia-Pacific region. Perhaps EU Eletes spend their time in spars in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, but do the majority of the rest of us have any money spare for the air ticket.

The EU has also given another a €61million grant to the Philippines.

The money is to help towards funding a series of reforms recently planned by the Philippines government for the health service, better protection of human rights and efforts towards finding peace with Muslim rebels.

“If there are further steps to European integration, the people should have their say at a general election or in a referendum.

“Tony Blair, In 1997

The unification of Europe is near”
Laeken Declaration, 15 December 2001,

“The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (ECR) will be no more binding than the Beano or the Sun”.

Keith Vaz, Labour Minister for Europe,

“The Europe of Maastricht could only have been created in the absence of democracy.”

Claude Cheysson, French Foreign Secretary 1981-1984.

“There are some in this country who fear that in going into Europe, we shall in some way sacrifice independence and sovereignty. These fears I need hardly say are completely unjustified”

Ted Heath,

“No government dependent upon a democratic vote could possibly agree in advance to the sacrifice that any adequate plan [to build the EU] must involve. The people must be led slowly and unconsciously into their abandonment of their traditional economic defences…”

Lord (Peter) Thorneycroft,

“I have never understood why public opinion about European ideas should be taken into account.”
Raymond Barre, Mayor of Lyons and French Prime Minister