After the matter of the auditing of the EU accounts which were not signed off for several years I have a couple or so other concerns on whether or not to stay in the EU.
This website shows that the auditors have been able to sign off the accounts every year since 2007 but there still seems to be some questionable misappropriations of money:-
https://fullfact.org/europe/did-audi...ign-eu-budget/
Anyone who has a small business knows how much red tape arrives in the post.
Other black marks against the EU are the interpretations of "free movement" whereby every Tom, Dick and Harry can enter any country with hands outstretched for as many benefits they think are their "human rights". There's nothing more galling than to see a foreigner bring his whole family on a "package holiday" spent in a foreign owned house so that they can register yet another child's birth in order to have larger benefits than that offered in their own country. Frankly I'm sick to death of Eastern European women and other foreigners being housed & given cash with no other visible means of support but making money on the side by fake marriages. The French with African heritage seem to have a penchant for scamming our housing benefits too as can be seen in some documentaries. It's obviously easy to go to various councils, obtain a house, then secretly sublet whilst they actually live in France. Then each month hop over the Channel to collect their rents and benefits. Further, that we have to accept convicted foreign thieves and murderers without a murmer is another bugbear.
The UK isn't the only country to want changes and this has been highlighted with the influx of refugees and igrants, which I think was not only due to Mrs Merkel's invitation but also there was another massive surge from September 2015 onwards when Putin started bombing civilian homes. I don't think he did this solely to assist Hussain, he did it to (1) cause a diversion away from Ukraine, and (2) to disrupt and cause concern to Eastern European countries who hadn't thought that they would have to take in any foreigners never mind tens of thousands as is being requested. For decades, they have had to cope with Soviet beaurocrats on their soil they're not ready to be "multi cultural".
-
EU President, Donald Tusk's letter has addressed my main concerns (bits are copied & pasted below)
commitment to increase efforts to enhance competitiveness. We will regularly assess progress in simplifying legislation and
reducing burden on business so that red tape is cut.
recognises that in light of the
United Kingdom's special situation under the Treaties, it is not committed to further political integration. It also reinforces respect for subsidiarity, and I propose that the Member States
discontinue the consideration of a draft legislative act where a number of national parliaments object to it on the grounds of subsidiarity, unless the concerns raised can be accommodated. The importance of respecting the opt-out regime of Protocols 21 and 22, as well as national security responsibilities is also underlined.
the clarification of the interpretation of current rules, including a draft Commission Declaration on a number of issues relating to better
fighting abuse of free movement.
The draft Decision of the Heads notes, in particular, the Commission's intention to
propose changes to EU legislation as regards the export of child benefits and the creation of a safeguard mechanism to respond to exceptional situations of inflow of workers from other Member States.
-
If these are met, I'll possiblbly be voting to stay in the EU - unless my offspring's argument can persuade me otherwise :-)