mikhail

If we do have a referendem on the Eu constition you should only get to vote if you pass a test that proves you have read it i mean this across europe i dont want idiots voting on this.

Thats the only fair way of doing it in my opinion.

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Red_Dave

Well you dont have to read it to get the gist of it. Which isnt hard if you watch the news. I,ve not read the consitutuion as yet but i already know the consitution would protect agriculture subsidies for france. Thats enough to make me to vote against it.

bub

I don't get why Brits are angry at French farmers because (according to a TV broadcasting I've watched at school) Brits farmer also receive a lot of money, they are sometimes paid not to work!

But it's not normal so much money (40 or 50% of the EU budget I think) goes to agriculture.

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Red_Dave

Well my main issue is with CAP subsidies per say rather then just CAP subsidies for france. They screw over those outside the E.U [particually those in poorer parts of the world] and there would be less of a need for them in the first place if supermarkets gave farmers a fair price for their goods. However its been the french government [particually Chiraq] thats been blocking any attempts at reform.

PeteEU

and every single goverment in the EU has been privately cheering this blocking. Like it or not, the subsidies have a reason, and the question is if we find that reason as valid today as it was 60 years ago.

I personally would like the subsidies to go down, but that would also require the US to play ball, and that aint gonna happen. But I also want to make sure that Europe can feed itself, and that aint gonna happen if we drive all farmers out of business.

So no matter what, the subsidies are gonna be around for a long time as we have to slowly drive them down so not to shock the system and shoot ourselvs in the foot. And one of the main reasons that France gets so much subsidies is that they have the most farmers, so ...

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PeteEU

GarzaUK

I would feel like voting yes, just to see the look on The Sun's or Rupert Murdoch's face if it did pass. But I would read it before I voted on it.

Do we still get the rebate if it is passed??

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They tried like hell. They called him an élitist, a radical, a socialist, a Marxist, a Muslim, an Arab, an appeaser, a danger to the republic, a threat to small children, a friend of terrorists, an enemy of Israel, a vote thief, a non-citizen, an anti-American, and a celebrity. ~ George Packer

Red_Dave

Actually the U.S said it would cut its subsidies if europe did and thats not happend despite all the promises made at the G8.

Farmers wouldnt be in such a bad situation if supermarkets paid them a fair price for there goods. Fortunatly for them they have the tax payer to bail them out. What you esentially have with the CAP is the poor subsidiseing the rich.

Red_Dave

And heres an example

PPI: The British Royal Family Received Over One Million Dollars in Farm Subsidy Payments in 2004

mikhail

The subsidies question is a no brainer to me it makes things inefficient it benefits a very small minority who talks as though they are the poorest people in the world though they tend to own acres of land and drive expensive cars.I wish i could have a business that didnt need to make any profit and my product was left to rot in warehouses.

PeteEU

The US says one thing and does another when it comes to subsidies, just as the EU does. And in the end the US and EU will just hide the subsidies in a legal technicallity... look at Boeing, or Thompson

The main problem is that both areas can not afford on a strategical level to loose its food producing industry. WW1 and WW2 showed this and its been one of the policy's of the EU since its founding, to secure a domestic European food production.

On a political level, this industry is a big power house, especially in France and the US, hell even Denmark.. the main party in power atm is the "farmers party".

As for the royals of the UK getting EU subsidies.. so what? Just because they are rich and "royals", does that automatically mean they are not allowed to get the same subsidies as a random farmer if they meet the conditions for it? As long as we have a principle of non discrimination within the social, legal, political and economical systems of Europe, then we have to live with the rich getting free medical care, childcare and even unemployment if they lose thier job, uber rich farmers getting millions in subsidies or something similar.