What do we get for 1.7B from the EU

[NikonKev]

Simple question without members throwing their Teddy out

I googled the above and it appears this is a surcharge levied by the EU the amount depending on how well we perform within EU guidelines.

It seems that we performed better than expected hence the 1.7b owed.

I can't get my head round this unless i liken it to the better i do in my Business the more Tax i will pay !
So if this is the case what did we get that initiated this large bill ? Can't imagine we were that better off financialy being in the EU that the 1.7b should be paid !

Using my Business as an example if i make a profit i pay a % of that in tax which leaves me with the remainder in my pocket so to speak (I know it's not that simple but is near enough).

Anyone have some genuine info to help clear the muddied water ??

I'm not after a discussion about how the bill has halved to 850m due to some discount brought forward bla bla bla I would like to understand why, whatever the fugure.

Please leave Teddies and Dummies in their respective garages.

 

[BRASH]

It's a complete disgrace and a total capitulation by our government. Usual lies, deceit and spin from Osborne and the rest of that shambles at No 10. The sooner we get out of the EU and start standing on our own two feet again the better.

 

[SFTPhotography]

It's a complete disgrace and a total capitulation by our government. Usual lies, deceit and spin from Osborne and the rest of that shambles at No 10. The sooner we get out of the EU and start standing on our own two feet again the better.

x2. British revenue should stay in Britain.

We've been charged this as our economy has picked up

Look at the tables here

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29939774

LosersAdditional sum to pay

United Kingdom

£1,676m

Netherlands

£506m

Italy

£268m

Greece

£70m

Cyprus

£33m

Winners
Reduction
France

£801m

Germany

£614m

Denmark

£253m

Poland

£249m

 

[tijuana taxi]

Without knowing the facts I don't feel properly qualified to comment.
Have we received a similar payment in the past, what subsidies do our farmers for instance receive. Obviously receive money for regeneration and other capital projects.

All a bit knee jerk to say leave the EU without fully understanding a lot more than the layman does.

Bit like being asked to be a juror on a very complex case that you would know very little about.

 

[new2me]

Without knowing the facts I don't feel properly qualified to comment.

Dont let that stop you. This section of TP wouldn't survive with that attitude

 

[SFTPhotography]

Dont let that stop you. This section of TP wouldn't survive with that attitude

To me there is only one fact. British revenue isn't staying in Britain and you can be sure as hell we are a net EU contributor. The original idea of free trade was a great one, but why does free trade need a bureaucratic government of its own?

 

[andya700]

Without knowing the facts I don't feel properly qualified to comment.
Have we received a similar payment in the past, what subsidies do our farmers for instance receive. Obviously receive money for regeneration and other capital projects.

All a bit knee jerk to say leave the EU without fully understanding a lot more than the layman does.

Bit like being asked to be a juror on a very complex case that you would know very little about.

I don't think the answer is leaving the EU, but then again I do not see what benefits the EU are bringing to the UK. I would also like to see a comparison done over the last ten years, showing how much each EU member has donated/received through this scheme.
I believe that this may be down to one thing - the current coalition government always bragging about how the British economy is recovering compared to other countries. The fact that we have a financial centre which is largely responsible for this so called economic growth, just confuses me even more.
It was the people of the UK who bailed out the banks, yet we see the banks paying themselves huge bonuses, and then denying that they are making a profit because of the monies they are paying out for compensation regarding PPI and other nefarious schemes.
If there is economic growth in the UK then are the majority of people not benefitting from it?
Why are wages for ordinary folks either stagnant ar falling back?
How can an economy grow, when so many jobs are being cut in all sectors, and "flexible hours" seems to be the new "elixir of profit making" for companies?
Who will pay for this surcharge to the EU?
The answer is us, not the large corporations and their tax evasion lawyers, or the politicians or the bankers, because they all make sure that the gap between them and us is growing all the time.

 

[Bernie174]

Bit like being asked to be a juror on a very complex case that you would know very little about.

Better to have a jury that knows nothing, they aren't contaminated by pre conceived ideas.

Anyway, back to the EU.

The whole thing has become a monolithic bureaucracy with no accountability. It badly needs 2 things, firstly reform, if for no other reason than the immense waste of money. Moving itself every month not to mention an army of 'civil servants' doing mostly pointless and duplicated jobs.
Secondly it needs to define itself and get electorate buy in to that aim. Is it an aspiring US of Europe? Is it simply a trading bloc? At the moment its too much like a super state, something no one has voted for.

One of the other things it could do with is transparency, how much does it cost, wheres the money going. A simple set of graphs and numbers aimed at being understandable by everyone would help[ their cause no end. Of course it wont happen.

 

[AJQS]

Various projects in Wales get European funding - easily over the £1.7 billion figure. (One publication says £1.2 billion for the valleys area between 2007-13).

 

[SFTPhotography]

Various projects in Wales get European funding - easily over the £1.7 billion figure. (One publication says £1.2 billion for the valleys area between 2007-13).

Which is less than 1.7bil in one year.

Plus we voted for free trade, not what it's come for.

Cameron and/or Farage will give us the in/out vote

 

[tijuana taxi]

What does "not what it's come for" mean?

You seem incapable of entering into a sensible debate much less express yourself adequately.
Probably best you stick to something less demanding than reasoned argument. Haven't you got a video game to play or find somewhere to exchange your views with like minded people

 

[SFTPhotography]

What does "not what it's come for" mean?

You seem incapable of entering into a sensible debate much less express yourself adequately.
Probably best you stick to something less demanding than reasoned argument. Haven't you got a video game to play or find somewhere to exchange your views with like minded people

Sorry, typo. I meant to say that we voted for free trade, not what it's become. I was on my mobile - autocorrect.

We didn't vote for our taxes to go abroad, nor anything else. Just free trade with a few western European countries, the EU has evolved from EEC to EEA to this bureaucratic mess we have now.

Personal attacks will get you nowhere, perhaps you should go back to whatever cave you came out of.

Anyway, as I said, Farage and Cameron will give us our in.out vote. I will be voting out.

 

[LongLensPhotography]

I am pretty sure by increasing public spending, funding of science and fiddling with the data they could have massively reduced the payment while it was still time. Now all we have is a government that is running down the country from within and can't negotiate with the outside, then blatantly lie. What a disgrace; I just can't see another selfish tory government after this.

 

[AJQS]

Which is less than 1.7bil in one year.

Plus we voted for free trade, not what it's come for.

Cameron and/or Farage will give us the in/out vote

The valleys regions is a small part of it but , there are more regions, and more schemes. Safe to say we get much more than £1.7 billion from the EU, it's just the first official figure I came across.

 

[H2O]

I am pretty sure by increasing public spending, funding of science and fiddling with the data they could have massively reduced the payment while it was still time.

Sweet. So the government should have spent money it didn't have to avoid having to give other money it didn't have to France & Germany to help them pay for things they bought with money they didn't have?

 

[H2O]

The valleys regions is a small part of it but , there are more regions, and more schemes. Safe to say we get much more than £1.7 billion from the EU, it's just the first official figure I came across.

We do. But we also pay in much more than £1.7 billion as this is just an additional payment. The UK is a net contributor to the EU.

I would like to see the historical record of adjustments though before deciding if it's fair or not. The only issue I have at the moment (given the lack of detailed information) is the seeming extreme short notice for the payment.

 

[LongLensPhotography]

Sweet. So the government should have spent money it didn't have to avoid having to give other money it didn't have to France & Germany to help them pay for things they bought with money they didn't have?

Which government HAS money? It is all about managing national debt and balance sheet most of the time. Are you suggesting that government shouldn't spend money on public services and sciences like the current bunch is depriving us even of the very basics these days? Science funding now realistically only comes from EU grants; UK government spending has decreased to a very tiny fraction since 5 years ago. Perhaps that makes me glad to see them pay the EU the full whack.

 

[H2O]

Which government HAS money? It is all about managing national debt and balance sheet most of the time. Are you suggesting that government shouldn't spend money on public services and sciences like the current bunch is depriving us even of the very basics these days? Science funding now realistically only comes from EU grants; UK government spending has decreased to a very tiny fraction since 5 years ago. Perhaps that makes me glad to see them pay the EU the full whack.

I'm saying increasing public spending when you are already borrowing something stupid like £200 million a day is insane.

Ignoring other possible impacts of leaving the EU the government could guarantee all UK based EU projects continued funding and still have several billion £ extra to spend.

 

[Nawty]

I personally don't see what the fuss is about, the rules are very clear and 1.7bn is [PLEASE DON'T TRY TO BYPASS THE SWEAR FILTER] all in the grand scheme of things - we splashed £850bn bailing out the banks - it's just stupid politics pandering to a minority, a minority that is crucial to the next election (more's the pity).

It's not like paying more tax it's more like having a shared account with your partner for bills and cost of living - assuming that we have each others best interest at heart it would be fair if the major bread winner contributed more to the pot - the hand-backs are like when you're given permission to buy a new camera/toy.

 

[SFTPhotography]

British tax should stay in Britain and be spent on Britain. You either agree or disagree

 

[Nawty]

I disagree.

 

[LongLensPhotography]

British tax should stay in Britain and be spent on Britain. You either agree or disagree

What about aid to China then (and it is a lot more than these figures)? Do we need to help the worlds largest economy, then India, etc?

 

[SFTPhotography]

What about aid to China then (and it is a lot more than these figures)? Do we need to help the worlds largest economy, then India, etc?

No we do not.

 

[SFTPhotography]

It's not like paying more tax it's more like having a shared account with your partner for bills and cost of living - assuming that we have each others best interest at heart it would be fair if the major bread winner contributed more to the pot - the hand-backs are like when you're given permission to buy a new camera/toy.

So we should prop up poorer EU states, what exactly is in that for us? We do well and get penalised. Not fair on Britain and its people IMHO.

 

[Nawty]

British tax should stay in Britain and be spent on Britain. You either agree or disagree

Actually that is such a small minded over simplified view of the world it's beyond belief. Good luck with your life.

 

[SFTPhotography]

Actually that is such a small minded over simplified view of the world it's beyond belief. Good luck with your life.

No, it's a pragmatic and sensible one. Perhaps with your post you cannot counter it with a sensible comment I feel my view is the right one. Particularly in our present economic climate. How many doctors, nurses would £1.7bil employ for 30 years?

 

[fracster]

No, it's a pragmatic and sensible one. Perhaps with your post you cannot counter it with a sensible comment I feel my view is the right one. Particularly in our present economic climate. How many doctors, nurses would £1.7bil employ for 30 years?

If we isolated ourselves, then whom would we trade with Steve?

 

[LongLensPhotography]

No we do not.

and yet http://www.express.co.uk/news/world...ship-to-Mars-after-UK-gives-280million-in-aid

This is more outrageous IMHO. I believe there is an element of UK getting a slap by EC for being downright nasty and unreasonably (fair play to them ) however you have to realise that once we are in european community we want and need to get the whole market performing well. Frankly there is too little integration, hence what you see today doesn't fully make the sense. It should United states of Europe. Period.

 

[Nawty]

I feel my view is the right one

Which is why I shant bother discussing it...

If it was really about money then you should be more outraged about the avoidance of things like corporation tax and the unfair system which propagates the disparity in equality than payments to Europe but it isn't, it is simply jingoism.

It was long ago that all the fuss was about uk benefit scroungers, this is exactly the same thing except it means we don't have to look ourselves in the mirror, which is convenient, isn't it?

 

[SFTPhotography]

If we isolated ourselves, then whom would we trade with Steve?

You don't need to pay 1.7bil plus to trade with people.

Given the amount of EU goods we import from Germany and France (think cars) I imagine we could negotiate a decent trade deal without having to put up with get fiscally "shaken down" for our relative fiscal success as a nation.

Never mind the rest of the world outwith Europe. Has not being in the EU hurt Switzerland?

 

[cambsno]

The fact is that Cameron has no chance of winning the next election. He should have told the EU to butt out! This will stoke the fire of UKIP and other anti EU parties although interesting to see Labour say we shouldn't have paid, seeing as they sent us further down the EU river in the past.

How can we be taxed on stuff like prostitution and illegal activity? And this from the EU who would not look out of place next to an African dictator or FIFA in terms of corruption and fiddles. We HAVE to have a clear vote, stay in or leave, let the people decide. All parties should commit to this. Let those who want to be governed by Brussels and have the Euro have it and let the rest step aside.

Should we leave, we will not struggle - it may make it slightly harder to move around but many work in USA, Middle East, Asia etc... both us going there and them coming here so in the event we were out it would not harm (my cousin is from Norway and lives here and they are not in the EU). We can then decide to spend our money where we want to. Its fair to say that we have come out of the recession better than other countries so what we do is working. We would not struggle with trade, other countries don't. We trade all over the world and we also buy stuff from the EU which they would want to continue supplying.

 

[fracster]

You don't need to pay 1.7bil plus to trade with people.

Given the amount of EU goods we import from Germany and France (think cars) I imagine we could negotiate a decent trade deal without having to put up with get fiscally "shaken down" for our relative fiscal success as a nation.

Never mind the rest of the world outwith Europe. Has not being in the EU hurt Switzerland?

And if we left the EU, what incentive is there for any other EU country to trade with us?

Switzerland is a different case to the vast majority of other countries Steve, as well you are aware.

Just to add, i`m not pro nor anti EU. We cannot cherry pick what suits us, we are either in it, or not.

 

[cambsno]

If we isolated ourselves, then whom would we trade with Steve?

Norway and the Swiss cope. Non EU countries cope. Do you think if we left we would not be allowed to trade?

These days business is global, and you could argue that businesses are bigger than many countries.

 

[cambsno]

And if we left the EU, what incentive is there for any other EU country to trade with us?

Switzerland is a different case to the vast majority of other countries Steve, as well you are aware.

Just to add, i`m not pro nor anti EU. We cannot cherry pick what suits us, we are either in it, or not.

Because they want our goods and services and we want theirs!

 

[SFTPhotography]

and yet http://www.express.co.uk/news/world...ship-to-Mars-after-UK-gives-280million-in-aid

This is more outrageous IMHO. I believe there is an element of UK getting a slap by EC for being downright nasty and unreasonably (fair play to them ) however you have to realise that once we are in european community we want and need to get the whole market performing well. Frankly there is too little integration, hence what you see today doesn't fully make the sense. It should United states of Europe. Period.

It should be no such thing. Can you please explain why a free trade agreement between a few countries and a relaxation of border controls needs a government of it's own ?

Why should we take a slap from a non elected government that represents a few adjacent countries?

Our taxes need spent in Britain for the benefit of Britain and her people.

I fully agree the money paid to India is an outrage. It's not our duty to feed their people or fund their space program.

 

[SFTPhotography]

And if we left the EU, what incentive is there for any other EU country to trade with us?

Switzerland is a different case to the vast majority of other countries Steve, as well you are aware.

Just to add, i`m not pro nor anti EU. We cannot cherry pick what suits us, we are either in it, or not.

Err our products and expertise. Plus we import a lot of EU goods like French, Italian and German cars. I think they have more to lose by not trading with us than us with them.

I also have to say we're the only EU country with oil...

 

[fracster]

I assume you both know that the EU is the worlds largest Trade area?

Are we right going it alone? Maybe, maybe not, it is a gamble that is for sure.

My biggest gripe with the EU is all the bloody shambolic political shennanigans that go with it. Those thousands of "jobs" that need funding in Brussels amongst other places.

As stated, i`m neither for nor against. Splinters on my arse i`m afraid........

 

[cambsno]

I assume you both know that the EU is the worlds largest Trade area?

Are we right going it alone? Maybe, maybe not, it is a gamble that is for sure.

My biggest gripe with the EU is all the bloody shambolic political shennanigans that go with it. Those thousands of "jobs" that need funding in Brussels amongst other places.

As stated, i`m neither for nor against. Splinters on my arse i`m afraid........

Well China and usa trade with the eu, it's not some exclusive club.

 

[Yves Geza]

I'm following with interest, but 38 posts in and, apart from Alan Clogwyn, no one seems even to have attempted to give an answer to the original question.

On the other hand, let me pose a question ...

I believe that this may be down to one thing - the current coalition government always bragging about how the British economy is recovering compared to other countries. The fact that we have a financial centre which is largely responsible for this so called economic growth, just confuses me even more.
It was the people of the UK who bailed out the banks, yet we see the banks paying themselves huge bonuses, and then denying that they are making a profit because of the monies they are paying out for compensation regarding PPI and other nefarious schemes.
If there is economic growth in the UK then are the majority of people not benefitting from it?

Is this because, although the economy is growing the population among whom it's divided is growing faster?

 

[SFTPhotography]

I assume you both know that the EU is the worlds largest Trade area?

Are we right going it alone? Maybe, maybe not, it is a gamble that is for sure.

My biggest gripe with the EU is all the bloody shambolic political shennanigans that go with it. Those thousands of "jobs" that need funding in Brussels amongst other places.

As stated, i`m neither for nor against. Splinters on my arse i`m afraid........

It's also not the worlds only one. A fact worth IMHO remembering.

I assume you're older than me and will remember the original concept and member countries. I believe that was and is a good idea. There are countries in it now (Greece, Romania, Bulgaria) that really are fiscally so different to the original idea. The concept of the EU passing laws, having a government and military (Euro fighter) go so far and beyond what we as an electorate voted for that we IMHO as an electorate need to be asked the question in/out.

The original idea and original member states is/was a good idea but it's morphed into a dictatorial, bureaucratic expense we IMHO are better off without.

I ask you, and any other poster why does a free trade agreement need a government of it's own and fiscal demands over the members that are in the trade agreement.