One key EU proposal is the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), which would require authorities spending public money – awarding subsidies or public contracts – to favour European products in sectors such as renewable technologies and electric cars…
…“European taxpayers’ money should support [European] workers and European factories,” the French industry minister, Sébastien Martin, told reporters.
Fair enough I guess. If the UK wants the benefits of being part of a big European club then I guess we need to sign up to that club. Maybe Brexit was a mistake.
If they want to exclude the UK, it’s fair enough - but it should then be called something which excludes the UK. The UK is in Europe, so products made there are, as a matter of fact, made in Europe.
The UK is in Europe
Economically they told Europe to fuck off. Actions have consequences. UK never likes to be referred to as Europe.
They should call it “Made In EU” then. It’s not just us who are European but not in the EU.
It’s interesting to note how different countries within the union are taking about who to include and who to exclude.
It clearly goes beyond the ostentatious justification for this of presenting a united front against Chinese protectionism.
The French representative talks about limiting it to only the EU27, which wouldn’t even include the Nordics, who are almost EU in all but name. France would really like to be a big fish in a smaller pond, it would benefit their industry the most that way.
Poland’s economic development minister, Michał Baranowski, said it was too early to say whether countries such as Switzerland, the UK, Japan, Australia and Canada would be in or out, adding: “All these countries are in the mix of the discussion.”
This statement seems to implicitly include the Nordics in the arrangement by not mentioning them. In contrast to France, Poland’s industry would benefit more from open trade with more countries outside the EU bloc.
It shouldn’t be a surprise of course that politicians are prioritising their own countries’ interests in such discussions - if anything, that’s their job.
the EU27, which wouldn’t even include the Nordics
Sorry to be pedantic; I’m sure you’re thinking of Norway, but the Nordics are: Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Iceland, and three out of the five are in the EU :)
EU ≠ Europe, and its not just the UK but also Norway and Iceland etc. It would be more accurate to name the policy made in the EU.
Although how this impact NI will be interesting to see…
Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and other countries are in the European Economic Area, which is a superset of the EU. The UK had the opportunity of staying in the EEA, but that wouldn’t have been a hard enough Brexit to appease the gammon, so it was rejected. Of course, the EU could give the UK special treatment and include them in the programme, but it does not follow that they reasonably should do so, and there are competing political pressures against them making such an exception.
Yeah, self-inflicted. Sucks for us, but it’s how we learn (hopefully)
I agree, but technically we are still a European country. We left the union, not the continent.
While I am irked somewhat when people conflate the EU and Europe, calling a EU-only policy a “Made in Europe” policy would still be technically correct. For example, if I told people I personally only bought products made in Europe, but in fact I only bought products made in Guernsey, my first statement would still be accurate.
If the EU ever grows to include Canada or Japan however, it would then no longer be possible to make such statements.
Point is that you shouldn’t be excluding countries from joining a “made in Europe” certification scheme when they are, in fact, making products in Europe. If you want the scheme specifically to be highlighting and promoting products made in the EU, it should be a “made in the EU” scheme.
Well you could have made in EU but not made in Europe. For example you can buy products made in French Guiana which would be EU but not Europe. Also Cyprus is in Asia according to how some people draw the lines of the continents. Then we have the Spanish part of North Africa and arguably the Canary islands as well.
I challenge you to buy a product made in French Guiana
I dunno, you guys are looking more and more like an American colony than a. European country. How is your healthcare and food going ?
The UK has always been more like the USA than many European countries are. It’s unsurprising if you consider the history. Britain has a strong history of liberalism, individualism and capitalism, more so I think than its European neighbours. That spread to/cross-pollinated with those factors in the USA.
It would be wrong to see Britain as a colony of the USA rather than a country which is influenced by it for good and bad.
Well I had a delicious curry for tea and it didnt get recalled or give me diahorrea. And I picked up my prescription - 5 items and I didnt pay a penny.
I don’t care what anyone says I’ll be European til I die.
Yet the meatheads think that Japan is suitable for the branding. Seriously.
“maybe Brexit was a mistake.”
UK needs to rejoin quick before the war
