Why would I want to join the EU? Sombody explain please

[Adrian II]

I'm not a fan of a small state, I'm a fan of a big state. However, I'm against the completely ridiculous bureaucracy of the EU.

As far as I can see, market liberals dominate that bureaucracy, as well as the rest of the EU. I hate market liberals. And they're not in charge here. Please tell, why would I want to join the EU, when that means having those I hate dominate my life?

So the EU bureaucracy is ridiculous because it is dominated by liberals? Is that what you are saying?

Let's go bananas for a moment.

Since 1993 there is a pretty precise European standards regulation for bananas: EU Regulation 2257/94. To outsiders, and on the face of it, this regulation may seem ridiculous. Until you compare it to the wide array of previous standards of the 27 separate member states. A madhouse! Some British papers are past masters at ridiculing the EU regulation, all the while forgetting about their own previous Statutory Banana Instruments, their silly import restrictions (based on shape and length and substance and ripeness and God knows what other criteria) and their preferential treatment of certain Commonwealth banana producers and other Imperial remnants that modern European consumers frankly don't care a rat's behind about.

What this EU regulation does is standardize shapes, degrees of ripeness etcetera in ways that are familiar and perfectly acceptable to the sector. It makes the banana trade much easier and opener and frees up the entire European market to fair competition. Have you ever heard of complaints from EU consumers, importers, retail traders, transporters or others concerned about EU 2257/94? I can't remember any. It's only the nincompoops who read the Daily Mail who are ever up in arms about it.

Of course you, as as private person, couldn't care less in what way the banana you eat for lunch is bent. But when you are a trader and you are buying and selling bananas by the millions every day, packing them in crates and transporting them over thousands of kilometers, the number of bananas per crate does matter, the possible uses of the fruit and its skin are a cost-benefit issue and so is question when your bananas start to rot, believe you me.

[HoreTore]

So the EU bureaucracy is ridiculous because it is dominated by liberals? Is that what you are saying?

Not so much ridiculous as evil, ie. wanting to take away monopolies and all that free trade mumbo jumbo.