It's ''all s***e'' says MEP defending €400,000 "study break" to a holiday island

K-9

Biggins wrote: »

Fair comment, I dish it out so I must be able to take it.

The fact is (what it boils down to) that while the EU is telling/ordering us to cut back, they at the same time want every country in the EU including us, to fork out a lot more.
In fact overall a 6% increase. Sadly part of this will be used on the entertainment end for our MEP's. Thats however is only the tip of the iceberg.

Its galling to think these faceless heads are telling us to do one thing (cut-backs) and at the same time, telling us to pay them more! :mad:

True, but think of it like the Dept. of Education looking for an increase in the Budget, doesn't mean they'll get it.

Indeed, at least in the EU, Parliament has more say, rather than the Dept. of Finance and the Dail rubber stamps it anyway. The Parliament has more teeth than that.

Biggins

K-9 wrote: »

True, but think of it like the Dept. of Education looking for an increase in the Budget, doesn't mean they'll get it...

Sadly, the vote for the entertainment increase has already been taken and MEP's passed it.
Despite two opposition attempts to scuttle it.
Its a slap in the face every European worker who will be asked to tighten-up in his/her individual country.

Its not really the amount as such (although a lot in itself), its just the hypocrisy coming from those telling us to cut down.

K-9

Biggins wrote: »

Sadly, the vote for the entertainment increase has already been taken and MEP's passed it.
Despite two opposition attempts to scuttle it.
Its a slap in the face every European worker who will be asked to tighten-up in his/her individual country.

Its not really the amount as such (although a lot in itself), its just the hypocrisy coming from those telling us to cut down.

Well here is another source on the budget increase, not a done deal by any means:

EUobserver / Dogfight over EU budget could end in crisis, MEP says

Biggins

K-9 wrote: »

Well here is another source on the budget increase, not a done deal by any means:

EUobserver / Dogfight over EU budget could end in crisis, MEP says

I see that and cheers for the link.
Funny though that before they have gotten around to sorting out the paper-chasing/office/daily running costs of the EU process, the first thing they got out of the way and voted on, was their entertainment budget!

At least we know where their priorities lie.

Biggins

O' by the way, we are about to get another tax it seems!

See: http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/world-news/direct-tax-on-eu-citizens-proposed-2386543.html

A direct tax on EU citizens to help pay for the European Union was at the heart of sweeping financial reforms plans unveiled by the Brussels Commission.

K-9

Biggins wrote: »

O' by the way, we are about to get another tax it seems!

See: http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/world-news/direct-tax-on-eu-citizens-proposed-2386543.html

A direct tax on EU citizens to help pay for the European Union was at the heart of sweeping financial reforms plans unveiled by the Brussels Commission.

It already is funded by our taxes, that is where it gets its budget from for things like the subsidies we get.

That article is bit misleading though, it isn't another tax as you say, it's a replacement and a clearing up to make it more transparent.:

The Commission suggests abolishing the VAT share and "progressively introducing one or two new own resources as a replacement."
The document suggests EU funding could come in future from "an EU charge related to air transport, a separate EU VAT rate, a share of an EU energy tax or of an EU corporate income tax."
Other possibilities listed are "a share of a financial transaction or financial activities tax and the auctioning of greenhouse gas emission allowances".

Maybe they might take some from the proposed bank levy coming in or of the hedge funds who they are facing up to and regulating:


FT.com / Europe - EU agrees tougher rules for hedge funds