MAJOR ISSUES BULLETIN
 
     
EU 'COSTS FAMILIES £428 A YEAR

EVERY family could save £428 a year if Britain negotiated a Swiss-style arms-length relationship with the EU, a study claims

Researchers who analysed the cost and benefits of EU membership -which successive governments have refused to do - say up to £10.8 billion a year could be clawed back.

They say a relationship like that of Switzerland - which retains free trade access to EU markets and co-operates voluntarily in other areas such as the environment-would also let Britain regain control of key policy areas.

There could even be further savings from escaping the costs of EU regulation and increased access to non-EU markets.

Economist Ruth Lea, who carried out research for the taxpayers Alliance, said the desperate state of the public finances has made a rethink of Britain's contributions to the EU more urgent than ever.

She added: 'British taxpayers  [ more specifically English taxpayers] pour huge amounts of money into the EU 's coffers and really don't get a very good deal in return'.

Cuts in the UK's EU budget rebate, negotiated by Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s, mean our contributions are set to rise dramatically.

The Taxpayers' Alliance plans a major campaign to highlight the findings.

Daily Mail ,Saturday, November 14,2009

www.taxpayersalliance.org

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Switzerland and the European Union: A model for Britain, by Glen Ruffle

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If Britain votes No associate membership will be offered of Free Market and not Political says Giscard d’Estaing and others.

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