to my dutch friends
Out of context: Reply #47
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- rafalski0
Kelpie I am all for a union of independent but closely tied countries, with a common duty-free market and free people migration within. It isn't like EU invented free migration, up to about 150 years ago it was normal for people to move quite freely within Europe. It's hailed as an EU achievment, but it's just normalcy. Schengen treaty gives free travel without a need for EU.
What I am saying is we don't need the enormous uncontrolled burreaucracy that performs ultraexpensive social and economical engineering on a daily basis. In my opinion strength of the system should come from friendly competition of 20-30 countries' economies. Right now each country tax systems compete and it is good for the overall economy (even if VAT is forced on each by EU). French are pushing for equal taxation in whole EU and believe me you if they're pushing, they will get it. Not today, not tomorrow, but they will, just like they got constitution/treaty.
EU charter of rights is a small step towards it, with so many costly social rights that will lead to an unified EU social tax.
I kind of hope for that because this will be a beginning of a downhill ride for EU and UK will be the first to leave.
I like the UK approach "we're in because it's good for us but we're not dumb enough to give up control over ourselves"