Local Euro MP launches European Movement Policy Paper

9.37.02am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 14th Sep 2005

Yorkshire & the Humber Liberal Democrat Euro MP Diana Wallis has written a European Movement Policy Paper launched on Tuesday 13 September.

The Policy Paper entitled 'Relegated to the Second Division? Why Associate Membership of the EU would be bad for Britain' examines why the sort of relationship non-EU members, such as Norway and Iceland, have with the EU is not one that would be suitable for the UK.

Diana Wallis MEP for Yorkshire & the Humber said in advance of the launch:

"Associate Membership of the European Union, as practised in Norway and Iceland, is being suggested by many Euro sceptics as an alternative for the UK to full EU membership.

"What Euro sceptics fail to recognise though is that the UK would be in as an absurd situation as Norway is currently, as that country is forced to comply with most EU laws in order to access the huge internal market and pays €180 million a year into the EU.

"However, at the same time Norway has no power to shape its policies. In fact after last year's enlargement an Estonian or a Pole or a Cypriot has more say over much of the law passed in Norway and Iceland and to some extent Switzerland, than have the voters in any of those three states. It is little wonder therefore that polls in Norway show that the majority of Norwegians believe the current arrangement is both absurd and undemocratic and they want to join the EU. As an elected politician I agree with them.

"This Policy Paper hopefully goes a long way to explain just why associate membership of the EU would be bad for Yorkshire & the Humber."