simon12
Landlord.
Thanks for the reply I never knew about your 1st 2 points as for the others:The EU has never really just being about trade, right back to when it was first established as the European Steel and Coal, one of the reasons given for it by Robert Schumann (French Foreign Minister) was to ”make war not only unthinkable but materially impossible", with the community estabilishing a common market for coal and steel helping to neutralise competition between its member states over resources.
Today the concept of a war between European powers is pretty much unimaginable but in the fifties it was only a few years after the horrors of the Second World War, (with two major European conflicts being within living memory of much of the population). The point is the EU and it’s predecessor have never being just about free trade.
In defence of the Euro arguably Greece and potentially Italy should not have being allowed to join. But one big advantage is it removes exchange rate volatility within the block.
Amazon and Starbucks would find a ways to avoid tax regardless, tax havens have pretty much existed as long as tax has, you don’t think all those companies are incorporated in the Cayman Islands for the weather do you.
As for red tape the EU has arguably reduced not increased red tape, you are always going to need some degree of regulation and better to have one set to deal with across multiple counties than have to deal with 20+ different regulatory systems. Here is how you currently export to mainland Europe, find customer to buy product, pack product, dispatch via courier of your choice.
"In defence of the Euro arguably Greece and potentially Italy should not have being allowed to join. But one big advantage is it removes exchange rate volatility within the block."
Which is also its problem
"Amazon and Starbucks would find a ways to avoid tax regardless, tax havens have pretty much existed as long as tax has, you don’t think all those companies are incorporated in the Cayman Islands for the weather do you."
They could have a tax on moving money to tax havens. This would likely result in a huge tax revenue increase in Hungary where its lowest in Europe. Anyway its complicated but if it was ever going to be dealt with the EU would be best placed to deal with it.
"As for red tape the EU has arguably reduced not increased red tape, you are always going to need some degree of regulation and better to have one set to deal with across multiple counties than have to deal with 20+ different regulatory systems. Here is how you currently export to mainland Europe, find customer to buy product, pack product, dispatch via courier of your choice."
You make a good point but the problem is all these standards seem to go to the highest with no thought as to do we need this standard to exist at all. And why should the EU even be something that decides how powerful a vacuum cleaner can be.