Two Letters to President Barroso of the European Commission
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Earlier this year great efforts were made to stop me and others asking written questions of the Commission. It was proposed that we should be allowed only three a month, on the spurious grounds that the Commission was too busy to waste time being held to account.
Last year the Commission were asked just over 6000 questions by nearly 800 members. For the record, the UK government was asked over ten times as many written questions by the 600+ MPs in Westminster. They coped just fine.
In the end, the European Parliament approved a compromise which now allows the president of the parliament, currently a German, to censor all written questions to ensure they are relevant, whatever that can be taken to mean.
This job will obviously go to a minion in the president?s office, who will be given free rein to stop or modify those questions he doesn?t like or which might cause the Commission problems.
So, plan B comes into play ? if there is something to tell the Commission send the appropriate Commissioner a chatty letter!
This week I sent President Barroso, head of the Commission, two such letters:
Dear Mr President
In your written reply to my question E-2825/08 you suggested that the 65 billion pounds sterling EU compliance costs incurred by British industry was not an annual figure. Nor can it be the sum of the burdens over the years quoted, as you suggest. In real terms it has to be cumulative.
So I beg to differ. One example will suffice.
Suppose I am a roofer. I have had to buy scaffolding for my business to comply with new regulations about health and safety above certain heights. Before, ladders were used.
The scaffolding is, admittedly, a one-off cost. My accountant would probably amortise it over, say, five years. It would then be replaced and the replacement costs amortised over the next five years - and so on and so on ad infinitum. In other words my annual costs have gone up.
When estimating the cost of each new job, and preparing a quotation for the prospective client, an extra cost representing a share of the capital cost of the equipment must be added. Far worse, I must now also add the expense of transport, installation and dismantling the scaffolding at the beginnig and end of each project.
In other words, every job is now more expensive for my clients. And that is just one small business.
But the principle extends across all industry and commerce as the whole of the 65 billion pounds-worth of compliance costs is spread amongst all buyers of all goods and services - all the time.
I am surprised you did not know this.
Ashley Mote
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Dear Mr President
I find myself increasingly wondering how long the EU in general, and your Commission in particular, is intending to ignore the constant stream of ridicule you and your ‘laws’ receive in the UK
For example, during the summer holidays a newspaper item in the Daily Telegraph reported that 6000 tons (sorry, I have no idea what the metric equivalent might be) of seaweed sludge was being left to pollute one of Britain’s best and most popular beaches. In the past the local council has quickly removed any such pollution quickly and efficiently in the enlightened self-interest of the local community they serve.
But not in 2008.
Reports said that the European Habitats Directive forbade clearance of this foul-smelling sludge because such activity might damage the nearby chalk reefs which were an important area for feeding seabirds.
As a result, thousands of children on holiday were unable to enjoy their local beach as they and their predecessors have done for decades past. No doubt their parents were equally distressed, angry and frustrated.
The EU was held directly responsible.
The ludicrous concept of ’shared management’ - which we all know does not work - would have cut no ice with those holidaymakers, even if they had shown the patience to listen and learn how it is supposed to work.
Meanwhile, yet again, the EU has been subjected to entirely justified ridicule.
How long do you intend to allow this to continue?
Ashley Mote
To respond to, or comment on this Email, please email ashley.mote@btconnect.com
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