UK Parliament / Open data

European Union (Approvals) Bill [Lords]

I absolutely agree. It is the guarantor bit that causes the real problem in this matter.

Notre Europe also calls for

“substantial improvement to the coordination of economic policies”

as part of building a European “social market economy”. Notre Europe

“insists on the pressing necessity for the Union to become a global and influential actor... It must, in due course have summoned up a defence policy and the joint forces to go with it.”

The charter also states:

“Though healthy emulation may be conceivable, nay desirable, competition between nations is the harbinger of all sorts of conflicts and the very negation of all concepts of political community, not to mention being a brake on the coherence and might of a large integrated economic block. Some types of fiscal and social competition are destructive and must be resisted.”

In other words, the European Union should set tax rates and social and employment law.

Notre Europe, which is funded from the Europe for Citizens budget line, also believes that

“there are domains where Union action is of the essence and where it will have to be increased. The issue of mobility”—

currently a pertinent subject in the UK—

“comes in that scope: a European labour market is needed for those who go from one country to the next, including common rules and protections. Member States must further come to an agreement on a minimum package of social rights to be observed everywhere and at all times.”

Notre Europe also

“champions Jacques Delors’ groundbreaking vision of a Federation of Nation-States.”

It is notable that that phrase was later propounded by the current Commission President, Mr Barroso, in his state of the Union address in 2012.

About this proceeding contribution

Reference

573 cc627-8 

Session

2013-14

Chamber / Committee

House of Commons chamber
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