It is a big deal when you ship over 100,000 orders per year - 50,000 hours
---------- Post added at 13:06 ---------- Previous post was at 12:45 ----------
Hey, we can agree to differ, that's democracy. You made some good points but unless we could have a control group in science terms, it's difficult to say for sure that things would be different if we weren't in the EU. I can only work on the evidence I have in front of me. I will try and answer your points;
One the peace front, it's not just me, the Nobel Peace Prize committee agree (awarded from Oslo of course)
Do we need a formal framework for international co-operation? No, but it's easier if we group together with common aims. See United Nations
When I stated we are like Scandinavians, I meant our general outlook is similar to European countries. I feel that we are getting further and further away from the US in our societal outlook. Others may feel different, it could be the environment I work in (a US company with a big UK based headquarters)
On the technical side, 'it depends' is not a convincing answer for me. We do have our own medicines agency (MHRA) but it aligns and influences the European Medicines Agency. See also british standards, etc.
I would be interested to see the 40 proposals rejected if you have them, I wasn't aware of this. It's unusual for one country to 'go solo' and agreements are usually reached at the COREPER stage.
Getting near the end now.... In a global market, and I fail to see any sign of globalisation reducing, decisions made in Brussels, Germany or anywhere else will affect the UK, whether we are a member of the EU or not. See the global financial crisis which kicked off with dodgy mortgage lending in the US. Being in the EU, we can influence as part of a larger trading bloc. We can't influence the Euro and neither should we if we aren't a member of the eurozone.
Finally, aren't all voting decisions at least partially self serving? I wouldn't believe anyone would vote completely altruistically and make themselves significantly worse off. Voting decisions surely are influenced a) by facts and b) by beliefs. I believe that the EU is a force for good. I will be voting in.
If someone wants to vote out, then that's cool, this is a democracy. I just hope that all the facts are presented well in the run in instead of some of the rubbish you see in the press (bendy bananas, banned toasters, etc.)
Gonna drop out of the conversation for now, just wanted to say my piece