Don't these EU meddlers ever give up?

[darmstadt]

I wouldn't either, if it was free. But of course it isn't. These reports don't write themselves, we pay for them.

EU Budget £115 bn
EU employees 33,000

Yep:

The EU's administrative expenses amount to less than 6% of the total EU budget, with salaries accounting for around half of that 6%.

More than 94% of the European budget goes to citizens, regions, cities, farmers and businesses.

[CheeseSlice]

OK, but my post wasn't primarily a rant. The point was not the EU commissioners' advice per se, but that it came so soon after the elections, proving that they had ignored the lessons of these and it is business as usual.

Here's some more evidence that they really haven't understood what happened in the elections.

Barroso Bemoans Lurch to Extremes in EU Polls - WSJ

Mr. Barroso said further integration and cooperation in Europe is key to tackle the growing discontent among voters, adding Germany and France, in particular, need to make sure the already present economic divergence between the two countries don't translate into political divergence.

Of course, more integration will sort out anti-europe feelings

and...

Eurogroup head Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who was on the same panel, said European countries must start focusing on economic growth now as an answer to discontent from Europeans, who for over the past three years have been hard hit by austerity.

"The next phase is going to have to be about reforms. We need more growth and we need to deal with some structural issues in our economies," said Mr. Dijsselbloem.

'Reforms' eh?
Dijsselbloem,.. wasn't he the nasty guy that championed the use of bailing out the banks by stealing from bank accounts across more countries after Cyprus ?
[edit] The UK has strong growth in Europe right now, so was the economy to blame for the UKIP win?

[Mich the Tester]

Here's some more evidence that they really haven't understood what happened in the elections.

Barroso Bemoans Lurch to Extremes in EU Polls - WSJ



Of course, more integration will sort out anti-europe feelings

'Less divergence' does not equal 'more integration'.

[speling bee]

'Less divergence' does not equal 'more integration'.

If the EU had any sense, they'd start issuing directives around cleaning behind the back of the fridge and standards for taxi driver attire, which would be much more reassuring to the citizenry.

[Mich the Tester]

If the EU had any sense, they'd start issuing directives around cleaning behind the back of the fridge and standards for taxi driver attire, which would be much more reassuring to the citizenry.

...and cleaning the chutney spoon and bleeding the radiators.

[d000hg]

Council Tax does seem pretty rubbish though. We own a house in a impoverished, rough NE village which we bought as newlyweds and now rent out. In that parish, council tax rates are higher than where we live now, in Durham city centre which is fairly sought after and relatively prestigious (for the NE).

Similarly because house prices are so much higher in Durham, a property costing maybe £150k here would be in band A, but in a poor village a band A property would sell for as little as £30k, certainly under £50k.

And then of course the bands don't exactly go very high. We're in band D with a house that cost ~£250k last year. The highest band H is [only] twice that, yet £500k is at the lower end of what genuinely nice houses go for here, you'd hit the ceiling pretty quickly.

So IF CC is supposed to be based on your house's value (why you use more bins and roads if you're rich is a separate question) people at the bottom are paying really quite considerable sums and people in nice houses are paying relatively tiny amounts.

[xoggoth]

The EU's administrative expenses amount to less than 6% of the total EU budget, with salaries accounting for around half of that 6%.

More than 94% of the European budget goes to citizens, regions, cities, farmers and businesses

.

Even 6% is a lot of money for things we don't really need. The UK contributes about 5bn more than it contributes. There are some things that make sense but too much EU policy/action we see in the news seems to be duplication of what should properly be national priorities. Why for example do we need EU laws and admin for rights and equality when the UK has a good record of such things? Much of the money goes to national governments but why not let them spend their own money rather than give it to the EU, have to make a case for getting it and receiving what's left after all the administration?

And why should we be making a big net contribution to the likes of Poland? Heaven knows what we will pay if anyone is stupid enough to let Turkey or Albania in.

[speling bee]

The UK contributes about 5bn more than it contributes.

Don't believe everything you read, xoggy.

[xoggoth]

Council Tax does seem pretty rubbish though

Totally agree. Cannot see why property value should be a basis of payment for public services any more than it is when paying a plumber. We should pay for what we are actually getting. The complexity of all these different cross subsidies of the poorer by the better off disguises what the true amount is.

The basis of property valuations are crazy anyway. I am in a higher band than most round here with more expensive houses simply because mine is newer. I haven't even got any street lighting.

[d000hg]

Totally agree. Cannot see why property value should be a basis of payment for public services any more than it is when paying a plumber. We should pay for what we are actually getting. The complexity of all these different cross subsidies of the poorer by the better off disguises what the true amount is.

True I guess, but I don't in principle have a problem paying more if I am richer just as I do with income tax - if everyone paid the same the poorer end of the spectrum would really be struggling unless it's offset in some other way.

The basis of property valuations are crazy anyway. I am in a higher band than most round here with more expensive houses simply because mine is newer. I haven't even got any street lighting.

You know you can appeal and even get changes applied retrospectively, if your house seems equivalent to others on a lower band? I expect you're aware but in case not, Council Tax Bands: Rebanding could save £1000s - Money Saving Expert