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Europe
Dutch Say Time of 'Ever Closer' Union in Europe is Over
2013-06-23
[An Nahar] The time of "an ever closer union" in Europe is over, the Dutch government said in a letter to parliament that also laid out a raft of policy areas that should be left to member states rather than Brussels.
Interesting. The frugal Dutch don't want to pay off the debts of less frugal members, perhaps?
nThe call in a letter published on Friday came after Conservative British Prime Minister David Cameron
... has stated that he is certainly a big Thatcher fan, but I don't know whether that makes me a Thatcherite, which means he's not. Since he is not deeply ideological he lacks core principles and is easily led. He has been described as certainly not a Pitt, Elder or Younger, but he does wear a nice suit so maybe he's Beau Brummel ...
called for powers to be wrested back from the European Union
...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing...
and for Britannia's reshaped membership to be put to an in-out referendum.

"The Netherlands is convinced that the time of an 'ever closer union' in every possible policy area is behind us," Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans wrote in the letter.
Perhaps they want to name Hizb'allah as a terrorist organization...
The pro-EU government led by Liberal Prime Minister Mark Rutte elected in September said that "this is an issue which strikes a chord with many people across Europe."

The Liberal-Labor coalition government will now seek to garner support for its list of policy areas that should be controlled by national governments with the European Commission, the European Parliament and member states.

The eclectic list of objectives includes halting further harmonization of social security systems, halting EU regulation of media pluralism, de-harmonizing some European flood risk management and phasing out EU programs for school milk and fruit.

EU cooperation will still be needed in various other areas, including the financial and economic crisis, energy, climate change, asylum and immigration, the letter said.
...at least for now. Later, when the Dutch notice the oceans haven't risen, climate change, energy, asylum and immigration can be renegotiated.
The letter came as the result of a review agreed to after the coalition government was formed last year and is aimed at "creating a European Union that is a more modest, more sober and at the same time more effective."
Posted by:Fred

#7  Finally realized that some parts of EUrope have "social disease"?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2013-06-23 14:22  

#6  Better if it were 'untie'.
Posted by: Pappy   2013-06-23 13:04  

#5  Er, huh.... unite !!!
Posted by: Besoeker   2013-06-23 11:35  

#4  Throw down the angry yoke of Eurolithic reformism. Dutch farmers and French Huguenots unit! A whole new world awaits you in Africa. Oh wait :-(
Posted by: Besoeker   2013-06-23 11:21  

#3  The "One Continent", "One World", "New World Order" is not working out so well? Didn't think so.
Posted by: JohnQC   2013-06-23 10:49  

#2  Odd to use the word harmony when you're planning setting up a regulatory cartel...
Posted by: Bright Pebbles   2013-06-23 10:42  

#1  Interesting. The frugal Dutch don't want to pay off the debts of less frugal members, perhaps?

No, it's the "Closeness", don't want Muslims floating around.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2013-06-23 09:43  

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