Thirty Pieces of Silver is the way to Arc Manche. December 2006. XXXXXXX AP
I first came across the idea of Arc Manche, in 1997 before the poem below was written, although I do not recall the term Arc Manche at that time. However, we appear to have travelled a long hard road since then and by golly we must have been in a trance, hypnotised by all that is happening in the EU because we didn’t even notice the ‘earth moving’ kind of.
When the Single European Sky was brought about by the European Union our Government, obviously wanting to be seen as keen “Europeans” joined and was apparently, quite happy at this great loss of sovereignty. When the mighty United States of America want to fly over Pakistan, they have to ask permission from that Country. If the mighty US of A wants to fly over our once great country it would have to ask the European Union.
We, in this Country of ours, are now being asked to give up sovereignty of our seas and oceans, all that is in it, sails on it and the resources, known and unknown, lost ships and submarines etc, to the Union. I emphasize here how important it is that we maintain total sovereignty over our seas and oceans. Remember what the EU did to our fishing grounds?
I liken Arc Manche to a bridge and Manche, La Manche is the French name for the English Channel, so, Arc Manche in my thinking means a bridge over the English Channel. However, I would like you, if you would, to think of the English Channel as a little river, perhaps even a little brook and the water between Ireland and Wales perhaps as a lake. Borders only belong to those Countries that are on the very outer regions of the EU. Absolutely no “borders” between different countries any more. We have freedom of movement and freedom of goods (as long as we have ID Cards of course); no borders and we must not allow the little English Channel to become an obstacle. In fact we are told, “Citizens and stakeholders’ perception of the English Channel area has to change. It should be seen as a link rather than a barrier; as a genuine cross-border area, an area of exchange and projects”, we are told that there must be “Increasing mutual knowledge at all levels and a better communication for example; between organisations (national, regional, local or NGO’s) on both side of the Channel”(I wonder if they will change the word “ENGLISH” in the title ‘English Channel’?) We must increase “exchange and mobility, in particular for young people, as they are the ones that can change attitudes”
Perhaps you will feel closer to the continent just as if the water between was indeed a river and we are as one complete State? Now do you get the picture? This is what it is all about. Creating one beautiful (in EU eyes) State called the European Union. The fact that we cannot understand each other is of no importance at this stage, as long as we all obey European Union laws. When big and I mean BIG. From a Community Initiative to an Objective in its own right, a somewhat higher financing. (€5.8 billion-€8.8 billion, that is Cross-border Co-operation 74%, Transnational Co-operation 21%, Interregional Co-operation 5%). Such incentives money wise is handed out, to mix with each other and when everything a stranger does seems so new and exciting, then what the Hell if we lose independence, when we have to obey all the time and democracy flies out of the window, who cares eh? Who really cares?
All of us, if you like, melding together parts of the Continent to Great Britain, and parts of the other side of the UK (Wales) to the Island of Ireland. This does not appear to have been debated in our Parliament, it appears to have just happened, kind of. At least, that is what I think we are supposed to think. WE (us lot here in the UK) are to get closer to our European cousins and an awful lot of money has been put to this cause. From a Community Initiative to an Objective in its own right there is a somewhat higher financing. How could our government not know the millions of pounds taken by these areas of our Country under the Arc Manche schemes? Surely our Chancellor knows about this money coming into our Country from the EU?
Are we “pooling” or Sharing” Sovereignty? Does it matter? The United Nations’ Law of the Sea Article 119 states “The United Kingdom recalls that, as a member of the European Community, it has transferred competence to the Community in respect of certain matters governed by the Convention”. Transferred, not pooled.
Article (91) Every State shall fix the conditions for the grant of its nationality to ships, for the registration of ships in its territory, and for the right to fly its flag. Ships have the nationality of the state whose flag they are entitled to fly. There must exist a genuine link between the State and the ship. (UK State or EU State?) Art 116. All states have the right for their nationals to engage in fishing on the high seas subject to: (a) their TREATY obligations. (Why did we sign the first treaty? Why?) Will the EU eventually become our State? It appears to get nearer every day.
One thing about the sea, there are no maintenance bills, road charges, or ‘speed cameras’. The United Nations law of the sea is the “Constitution” of the sea. Its laws have to be observed and obeyed but I bet the EU would like to change that constitution too.
We have seen an increase in special events such as German and French Markets, Town twinning, School and University exchanges, and also work experience exchanges some with money incentives to help the process of further and deeper integration along. Not only do we have ferries to get across from one side of the duck pond to the other, we have air travel and of course we now have the Channel Tunnel.
Under the European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students, (ERASMUS) which was introduced in 1987 many University students have taken advantage of study periods of 3-12 months and cover a wide range of subject areas and are recognised to contribute to a degree course at the home institution. This has been a great education for ‘today’s’ youngsters, my own niece and Granddaughter
among those who took advantage of the experience, but we did not have to lose sovereignty of our country to do such exchange visits. It could have been arranged quite easily without any loss of sovereignty for so many people have done the same through “gap years”.
We now have the “New” Euroregion, a Co-operation Agreement signed between the County of Kent and the Regional Council of Nord-Pas-de-Calais in April 1987. (Did YOU know about that?) The aim was apparently to strengthen cross-border understanding and take full advantage of the Channel Tunnel. The EUROREGION was extended to include Belgium in June 1991. Was any of this debated in our Parliament? Did our MP’s know about this?
There are many different names and projects. Espace Manche Development Initiative (EMDI) is a project funded under the North West Europe INTERREG IIIB co-operation programme.
There really is a great push now to finish the one State of Europe, and also part of this package is the Official Journal of the European Union (5.12.2006, C 205E/69) This document is to establish for the period 2007 to 2013 the EU programme “Europe for citizens” to promote active European Citizenship.
Of course, if the EU Constitution had been ratified, there would have been no question that not only would we have had a new Constitution for this Country, but we would also have been made citizens, not just the wee ‘pretendy’ citizens as per Maastricht, but citizens with actual ‘duties’ and loyalties but this time, not to you own country but to your new country the European Union. The Official Journal paper is about transnational exchanges and cooperation activities, which in turn would contribute to developing a sense of belonging to common ideals. The OJ states, “Twinning schemes” between municipalities in different member states is both rational and desirable. Citizens’ projects with a transnational and cross-sectoral dimension are important tools to reach citizens and promote European awareness, European political integration, social inclusion and mutual understanding”.
Ah yes, it is not only about us becoming good European Citizens, but about us becoming one nation that, though speaking in many different tongues, loving each other in the same way we are being pressed to ‘love Europe’ by Mr Blair. We love “Europe” Mr Blair, but dislike intensely the EU.
The word Transnational is used many times and at (15) “The declaration on Sport adopted by the Nice European Council of 7-9 December 2000 noted that, ‘even though not having any direct powers in this area, the Community must, in its action under various Treaty provisions, take account of the social, educational and cultural functions inherent in sport.” Why let lack of direct powers stop the EU eh?
My final comment (for now) on EU Citizenship at (25) “Since the objectives of this decision cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States and can therefore, by reason of the transnational and multilateral nature of the programme’s actions and measures, be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Decision does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives”. I cannot believe that any lawyer would agree to such an ambiguous paragraph that can be interpreted in more ways than one.
There is no doubt what-so-ever that the English Channel (La Manche) is the busiest maritime thoroughfare in the world. More than 600 vessel movements both through and across the Straights make their journeys every day. Many of the statistics are available on the web page shown below.
Of concern to many of us was the introduction of Regions of the European Union for the United Kingdom, nine Regions earmarked for England alone. We reject them. We are now looking at the joining of yet new Transnational Regions across the waters to those on the continent nearest to us in the one direction and Ireland in the other direction. We are all to become part of one and same ‘family’ apparently. Will new maps be drawn up? Most certainly an EU Document is informative about its spatial TERRITORY. The proposed Directive creates a legal framework for the establishment and operation of an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe, for the purpose of formulating, implementing, monitoring and evaluating Community policies at all levels and providing public information.
The “key objective of INSPIRE is to make more and better spatial data available for Community policy-making and implementation of Community policies in the Member States at all levels. INSPIRE focuses on environmental policy but is open for use by and future extension to other sectors such as agriculture, transport and energy”.
Europe needs better map-based information to support its policies, especially on the environment. A new database designed to achieve this - known as INSPIRE - which could be in place by early 2009, has been agreed. “Parliament and the Council struck a deal which will enable data to be shared across the EU, without undermining high quality services in the Member States. INSPIRE (Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the Community) is a project put forward by the European Commission in July 2004, aims to pool and improve the standard of geographical data generated in the various EU Member States (such as satellite images, temperature records, rainfall levels) in order to improve the planning and implementation of Community policies in areas such as the environment, transport, energy and agriculture. This should lead to better understanding of problems such as floods or air and water pollution, which recognise no national borders”. (See below to explore the web pages.)
The Sunday Express had an article entitled "The Frenchman who now rules British citizens" about the Arc Manche Region and the first meeting of the unelected Assembly has already been held at Fontwell Park, West Sussex, partly chaired by French socialist Alain le Vern as its "elected president". There is more on the Conservative web site, with a copy of one map. (See below for web page) However, all I would say is, if the poem below was published in my local paper in 1999, which it was, where was the Conservative Party and all the rest then? If I knew about it THEN, why didn't THEY? The last two verses are fairly recent alterations.
Now I would like to get your imagination working again, for if you accept that the English Channel is just another river all-be-it a rather busy river, and we have removed all borders inside our new state, our only borders then must be the
external borders. When the EU is mentioning extra border guards, it is not national borders that are of concern to the EU, although it may be of great concern to us, who is allowed in to our Country and who is not, it is the outside borders that are of concern to those that gather in Brussels. (FRONTEX) Is going “to and fro” across the English Channel inside the European Union territory, or is it outside? Whatever the decision on this may make a big difference to the ships that travel through these seas in tariffs, artificial regional competitiveness, cabotage regulations. The mind boggles when I think also of re-drawing of maps to highlight any changes of this nature. Are ships sailing in-between inland coasts or international coasts? Whose flags are they sailing under? Are these national coasts or international? The competitive nature of big shipping industries may also be affected. Will the EU try to re-define intra-EU voyages as the longed for ‘national’? When the EU mentions a common maritime space, exactly what does it mean? Having decided to change hundreds of years of shipping here in “Europe”, will this nudge other States to play “tit for tat?
If the EU does become one state (and it is not there yet) then ALL waters inside its borders will indeed be re-defined as “inland waterways”.
Without doubt we have found out to our cost that anything the EU does or takes over, costs us all dearly, businesses, industry, especially financially and in many other ways, particularly injurious to us when we cannot change anything that is financially harmful to our country or harmful in other ways. We should learn to ‘err on the side of caution when dealing with the EU, at least, while we can make a choice, for “choice” disappears when the dotted line in Treaties has been signed.
Most certainly there has been a call for an EU navy, for on 16 of November 2006,
in the EU Parliament I read, "The EU is on the way to developing into a Defence and Security Union," says a report adopted today by a large majority (414 in favour to 117 against with 12 abstentions). MEPs argue for a more active European Security and Defence Policy, extending the Union's competencies through a common defence market, a civil protection force, as well as a standing naval force in the Mediterranean”. The answer HAS to be NO to all of this.
Dr Joe Borg’s speech in Malta 9th Feb 2006 was quite informative on the subject of Maritime Policy when he mentioned that for the first time, an all-embracing and multidisciplinary maritime policy for the European Union was now in sight. He said, “The EU will certainly seek to play a leading role in international fora such as the United Nations, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO)”. Where no doubt the EU would like to speak with its one voice for ALL Nation States or should I say, its entire people in the EU Regions?
I did question in a previous article whether the Falklands would be part of the EU’s maritime project? Questions were asked regarding the Falkland Islands in Parliament
and the search for gas and oil in Falkland Island waters (Question H of C 28.6.2006) for which the main theme was that it re-iterated the UK’s sovereign rights over the Falkland Islands, but I place here from 5-4 (page 44) from the EU document, COM (2006) 275 dated 7.6.2006. Green Paper “Towards a future Maritime Policy for the Union: A European Vision for the Oceans and Seas”. “A European maritime policy needs a general framework, as set out in this document, but its implementation will need to take account of the realities of Europe’s geographic situation. For example,
“EU Member States’ overseas territories give a worldwide dimension to European Maritime Policy. European Neighbourhood Policy 124 comprises a regular dialogue with partner countries, including maritime issues”. However a further more direct question was asked (H of C Sept 2006) Mr Brady: part only….re maritime affairs on the applicability of EU policy and legislation to the territorial waters of overseas territories of member states? Mr McCartney replied, “The EC treaty, other than part IV on the Association of Overseas Countries and Territories, does not apply to the Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom, except to Gibraltar to which it applies by virtue of Article 299 (4) EC Treaty. As the legal base for any legislation arising out of the Maritime Green Paper would be likely to be under article 175 (1), an environmental base, it would not apply to the majority of United Kingdom’s overseas territories. However, the government and the Governments of the other Overseas Territories would want to consider whether it would be appropriate and feasible to apply similar measures based on EC legislation through the Territories’ domestic legislation. So, there you have it. Take your pick!
I named this piece Thirty Pieces of Silver because I see the transfer of sovereignty over our Oceans and Seas as a betrayal of all that has gone in the past, the fighting and many dying for freedom and liberty. For the present, the conniving, the cover up, the lies told to secure a ‘yes’ vote to remain in a Common Market, which we were told we would lose no essential sovereignty. The ‘present’ continues today with its treacherous words of denial ‘a tidying up exercise’ and the EU Charter likened to ‘the Beano comic’. Finally, for the future and all future generations, because our money has been used throughout to “encourage” people to integrate without even knowing half the time what they are cooperating for, to our MP’s that take our money to govern us, yet all they can do is about 20% of actually instigating laws and legislation for their own people. It is our money our MP’s and the Union has been using to destroy our nation state. Some people may want an EU federal state, many in this country do not, but our MP’s do not even have the guts or decency to even mention Arc Manche, they act as if they know nothing about it. It didn’t need money to be friends with people off the continent; we would have welcomed them anyway. Why didn’t they understand that? We are a mixture of races already, we welcome all law-abiding people. Why didn’t they understand that? Our service men and women are fighting and yes, dying with Americans in Iraq as I write this, but the decision, which many of us feel was very wrong, was made by our own Government at the time, we would do the same for our continental friends if need be as we did once before in the 1940’s but we did not have to transfer any sovereignty to them to do that. Why don’t they understand that? It wasn’t necessary then and it isn’t necessary now. They must understand that now.
This is our money they have been using to betray us, the very people that elected them and actually pay them. The price of betrayal-thirty pieces of silver. The freedom, liberty, our laws, our legislation, our British way of life, the loss of our country, our air, sea and land and most certainly, the loss of sovereignty (authority) is too high a price to pay for being governed forever by the European Union. This Country has gone as far as it can go into the European Union, it must get out NOW and leave the rest to their fate in it. Our Allegiance is to our Crown and to our own Country and it is the same for all those that presently work in our Houses of Parliament, each and every one of them. As our forces fight now for sovereignty and democracy for those in Iraq and Afghanistan, so must WE fight to regain our sovereignty in our forces home base here in the United Kingdom. This is a duty I, and many more like me, have vowed to fulfil. No one must violate that solemn Oath of Allegiance. No one. Our total commitment to our Crown and Country is not transferable.
ACROSS THE DUCK POND. 1999
To drain the English Channel is now a positive must,
For the “Committee of the regions” have repositioned US,
East and West Sussex, are now both one Region,
They’re joined up to France and their Foreign Legion.
I cannot be sure if we’ve “gained” part of France?
Or was it part of England that from US was lanced?
That part of Sussex will be mixed up forever,
C’est uncanny! C’est exactement mon dilemma!
The above was written in the year ninety-nine,
So why bring it back NOW, into the limelight again?
Is it to distract eyes from the evil dastardly plot?
Of relinquishing the veto from JHA? Surely not?
Such treachery, betrayal the like never seen before,
A legacy Blair hopes we will live with, evermore.
But Blair should remember, Britain is not HIS to give,
For in a free sovereign country Brit’s WILL fight (once more), to live.
Anne Palmer
Much of what has been proposed here was set out in the EU’s “White Paper” COM (2001) 370 dated 12.9.2001 European Transport Policy for 2010: Time to Decide.
When I went to school I was taught that Columbus discovered America, but while writing of ‘maps’ here, I remembered a friend’s suggestion to read the book “1421 the year China discovered the World”, by Gavin Menzies. It makes very interesting reading and one is left wondering if “Europe” was indeed the first to discover ‘the West’ after-all? Having read the book, I don’t think so.
EMDI http://www.emdi.certic.unicaen.fr/en/intro.html
Which will take you to other documents and maps.
Europe For Citizens on
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2006/ce295/ce29520061205en00690079.pdf
Inspire
http://www.inspire.gov.uk/index.php
Conservative Web page here
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/torydiary/2006/10/prescott_and_eu.html
EU Navy,
RESOLUTION OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
ON THE POLITICAL OBJECTIVES OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
(2006-2008)
http://www.cor.europa.eu/document/presentation/cdr11-2006_fin_res_en.pdf
Green paper on EU maritime affairs. I have today (10.12.2006) received a glitzy booklet on the EU’s Maritime Policy Green Paper to encourage people to respond –they obviously think the transfer of sovereignty is as important to them, as I do to us.
http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs
Contributions to
Ec-maritime-green-paper@ec.europa.eu
FRONTEX (The EU’s agency for management of operational cooperation at the external borders of the Member States)
Territorial State and Perspectives of the European Union=maps =68 pages
A must read, particularly on Governance philosophy (page 6) with note to the re-drawing of mental maps. This really is a must read.
http://www.bmvbs.de/en/Spacial-development-,1876.963636/Territorial-Agenda-of-the=EU.htm
Spacial Development
This paper is really is a continuation of the two Articles re the EU’s proposed “Motorway of the Oceans and Seas” Consultation Papers
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