Lefty
Well-known member
The EU has created a large free trade bubble where none existed before, yet it is protectionist? Has it not eliminated red tape between countries that existed previously?
It has, plus it has significantly more international trade deals with other nations than anyone else.
Minimum standards must be met, which can sometimes be used by the EU as a de facto exclusion device, but by and large the standards are those desired by consumers and workers within the Single Market.
What we are now seeing is a lowering of standards in the UK, such as the lengthening of shifts for HGV drivers and the lowering of the licence requirements for the role. This will have a knock on when the EU decide that our drivers are too dangerous for their roads.
There is good red tape and bad red tape. The EU's red tape around the countries external to the Single Market is significant, usually for good reason, but it removes vast amounts of red tape for those within it.
Another example of good red tape is the environmental ones for our beaches. Our beaches used to be disgusting. Complying with EU directives on dumping waste saw our rivers and beaches improve to excellent. I notice the dumping has begun again and it won't be long before they are back to disgusting levels.
This was why the Conservatives were desperate to leave the CJEU as they were held to account far more effectively than our tribal, myopic, complacent and apathetic voters every 5 years.
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