Rebutting Euro-Sceptics

This briefing is set out as a series of topics/questions which you may meet on the doorstep or at meetings. They are listed roughly in order, with the topics we think you are mostly likely to meet coming first. Within each topic we have tried to give simple, common sense answers, the most important points come first, followed by supporting arguments.

Myth: The EU employs huge numbers of bureaucrats

Truth: The EU employs the same number as Birmingham City Council

The EU Commission employs approx. 15,000 staff directly plus approximately the same number in the other 4 EU institutions.

Birmingham City Council employs 15,000 staff excluding teachers and social workers.

Myth: The EU costs a lot of money to run

Truth: The EU budget in 2000 was 1.11% of total EU GDP

It is due to fall to 1.07% of total EU GDP in 2001. Total public authority spending (on all levels of government) across the EU is 47% of total EU GDP.

The maxiumum amount which the EU can spend is 1.27% of EU GDP. Any spending above that level needs the unanimous agreement of member states and ratification by their parliaments.

Myth: The EU plans to build up central fuel reserves over which the UK will have no control

Truth: No legislation has been passed or even discussed which would allow this

After the fuel protests, the Council of Ministers commissioned a 'Communication on Oil/Fuel Delivery'. A Green Paper on the Security of Energy Supply has also been drawn up, setting out long term ideas on EU energy policy strategies (meeting Kyoto targets, promoting renewable energy, discussing pros and cons of nuclear energy, ideas for new energy import relations with Russia etc.).

It is true that both papers suggest that the EU should build up oil reserves which can be deployed 'in emergences', much as the US did, to stabilise the oil price before the Presidential elections. But, neither document has any legislative force whatever. Neither the Council nor the Parliament has even started to discuss the documents.

Myth: We are flooded with more and more EU regulations every year

Truth: The number of current EU directives in force is not increasing

The number of EU directives, regulations etc. is NOT increasing every year. It has remained stable over the last 10 years at around 3,500 in force in any one year:

The total number of EU regulations, directives and decisions in force in each year was:

1990: 3359

1991: 3461

1992: 3617

1993: 3533

1994: 3579

1995: 3312

1996: 3311

1997: 3293

1998: 3406

1999: 3433

Myth: Britain would be forced to finance the shortfall in other countries' pension provisions

Truth: No EU member has liability for debts of any other member

There is a theoretical deficit in the amount of money which countries are raising in tax or social security contributions relative to promises of amounts to be paid to future pensioners. Calculations made in the mid 1990s showed that the theoretical deficit is worse in continental countries than in the UK.

The deficit is not a debt as such, it is just a way of showing that current pensions policy cannot continue.

This means that the pension system will need to be reformed. The UK has largely made this reform, when Margaret Thatcher linked the old age pension to rises in prices rather than rises in wages - hence the recent furore over the 75p rise in pensions.

The same kind of calculation could be made to show a deficit in financial provision for the National Health Service. Using the same mythical argument could imply that other countries would become liable to paying for our health service deficit.

In fact, Article 103 of the Maastricht Treaty specifically states that no member state shall be liable for any public sector debts of any other member state.