EU and Euro, what do you think?

[Christian]

Well, very simple. What do you think about the EU, and the Euro?

I think they both s*ck! The EU wastes 35o mlln Euries per year, just to move from Straatsburg to Brussel! (Us Dutchies have rejected the European constitution, MWHAHA!)

You people in UK have no idea how lucky you are, paying with pounds! The exchange rate of a whole holiday in the UK(from Euro to Pounds) is less then the difference in one shopping cart(before, and after Euro)

I'm keeping my old Guldens, hope I can use them sometime again!

[Martin]

To quote a store somewhere in England...."Untie The UK From The Eu-Rope".

[Christian]

There's an MP over here who also wants that.

Anyway, you British have been lucky with your rebate on the EU. We had to pay 108 euro(60 pounds) per person per year for the bloody EU.

Well, after we've humiliated the EU and the governement by voting against, we have to pay less, and the British have to pay more. IMHO, just cancel all the subsidies to the USSR, and to France, that'll save a lot of money in NL and UK!

[Captain Codpiece]

just to move from Straatsburg to Brussel!

The whole Brussels/Strasberg quickstep is ridiculous, as is the requirement to translate *every* EU document into *every* member language, and it's only going to get worse.

I'm sure the people who voted for Britain joining the EEC (totally different kettle of chips) never imagined it would turn into something like this.

[Martin]

Wasn't it just The Common Market when the vote took place back in the mists of time ?

[Christian]

Yeah, and the more countries, the more languages they have to translate it all in.

[Captain Codpiece]

Wasn't it just The Common Market when the vote took place back in the mists of time ?

That'll be the one, although I was too young to vote meself.

The idea of a 'common market', promoting trade between the countries and cutting down on beaurocracy was a good one but was kidnapped by the federalists and turned into the Euro-State we see now.

[Christian]

Yup. The EU is getting more and more influence, local, provincial and national governements are more and more often being overruled by the EU. I've heard of a city, which wanted to make a glassfibre internet connection in the town. Forbidden by EU, because it was "unauthorised governement subsidies".

No wonder people vote against the constitution...

[Hadrians hiring!]

No wonder people vote against the constitution...

''No matter who you vote for the goverment always gets in''

Cant remember who said it originally but still very apt!

[Bruce]

Not only is it a true statement, but when you consider the opposition continues to oppose the government then the status quo is always maintained!

[Christian]

The constitution was also rejected, as a response to the governement, who just accepted all the cr*p from the EU.

[Wee Toon Ajax]

You people in UK have no idea how lucky you are, paying with pounds! The exchange rate of a whole holiday in the UK(from Euro to Pounds) is less then the difference in one shopping cart(before, and after Euro)

I'm keeping my old Guldens, hope I can use them sometime again!

Thta is absolute nonsense and is typical of the response from the Dutch - blame everybody else apart from yourselves.

The main reasons for the increase in the prices since the introduction of the Euro is down to 2 things. The Dutch government undervalued the guilder against the Euro when it came to the point of valuing the currency against the Euro. This had definitely been a major factor in the increase of costs.

The second reason, and one that no Dutch person is willing to admit was the greed of Dutch shopkeepers etc at the time of the exchange, any chance to make a profit. I will give you a small example of this - I drink vodka and coke, before the introduction of the Euro it would cost me 8 guilders to buy one in a bar. Now this should have converted into Eur 3.57, instead I find the bars are charging 4 euros or higher ( eg equivalent of 8.8 guilders) or more than a 12% increase overnight. This was not the cause of the EU or the Euro but the greed of your fellow countrymen, seeing an opportunity to make a quick buck.

I am not going to deny that the price of shopping over here in NL has risen so much but it is not all the fault of the EU or the Euro, maybe the Dutch for once should actually take a bit of responsibility and shoulder some of the blame for the rise in prices on themselves. But hey, that is not the Dutch way is it - always find someone else to blame for your own shortcomings, its easier.

[Christian]

You people in UK have no idea how lucky you are, paying with pounds! The exchange rate of a whole holiday in the UK(from Euro to Pounds) is less then the difference in one shopping cart(before, and after Euro)

I'm keeping my old Guldens, hope I can use them sometime again!

Thta is absolute nonsense and is typical of the response from the Dutch - blame everybody else apart from yourselves.

The main reasons for the increase in the prices since the introduction of the Euro is down to 2 things. The Dutch government undervalued the guilder against the Euro when it came to the point of valuing the currency against the Euro. This had definitely been a major factor in the increase of costs.

The second reason, and one that no Dutch person is willing to admit was the greed of Dutch shopkeepers etc at the time of the exchange, any chance to make a profit. I will give you a small example of this - I drink vodka and coke, before the introduction of the Euro it would cost me 8 guilders to buy one in a bar. Now this should have converted into Eur 3.57, instead I find the bars are charging 4 euros or higher ( eg equivalent of 8.8 guilders) or more than a 12% increase overnight. This was not the cause of the EU or the Euro but the greed of your fellow countrymen, seeing an opportunity to make a quick buck.

I am not going to deny that the price of shopping over here in NL has risen so much but it is not all the fault of the EU or the Euro, maybe the Dutch for once should actually take a bit of responsibility and shoulder some of the blame for the rise in prices on themselves. But hey, that is not the Dutch way is it - always find someone else to blame for your own shortcomings, its easier.

Hoi, leuk om nog meer Nederlanders hier te zien!

Well, it's true prices have increased a lot! You are very lucky with with your Wodka Cola. Many prices have increased much more. Shopowners have indeed increased prices a lot. The governement is to blame I think. First they introduced the bloody Euro, and then they didn't punish shopowners who increased prices!

The horeca(restaurants, pubs etc) have had a decrease of 15%(I believe)of customers, because they increased prices enormously.

The Aldi and Lidl have had a huge increase of customers, because they do have low prices.

[Christian]

In my opinion, the Euro IS the fault of the governemnt. They shouldn't always follow the EU. The coming elections in November will be quite special. There is a party which want's to get NL out of the EU.

[The Hitman]

zzzzzzzzzzzz im awake im awake z z z zzzzzzzzzzzz no honestly this stuff is good.. . . . zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Nope you have bored me to the point of involuntary sleeping!