David Cameron flies to Brussels to fight EU drones programme

[AgnesIO]

Switzerland isn't a member of the EU nor is Norway.

Indeed Switzerland isn't a member of the Single Market whereas Norway is. I personally prefer the Swiss model although if the Norway model is a 'stepping stone' for us in terms of leaving then i'd take it rather than not leaving and remaining in the belly of the beast.

Point is, if you are signed upto ever closer union then you are going to get ever closer union. Period.

I'm not claiming they are; what I am stating is that people seem to want this pick and choose system ("we could just leave the EU, I'm sure they'd gladly give us all the bits we like anyway!!11!!1one!")

[Vodafone]

Yay the European Union has more control over Great Britain than British parliament!! Democracy in action.

Note the sarcasm.

[-:Undertaker:-]

I'm not claiming they are; what I am stating is that people seem to want this pick and choose system ("we could just leave the EU, I'm sure they'd gladly give us all the bits we like anyway!!11!!1one!")

Well yes, that is an option outside of the EU as you're not obliged to adopt their legal framework when you are not a member. So for example, say if Her Majesty's Government is eager to continue the student studying scheme - an intergovernmental conference is opened between the European Union and United Kingdom and an agreement is flashed out. That's how Free Trade Area (FTA's) treaties are flashed out between the EU and non-EU countries. The same would be done for cross-border crime and environmental issues just as all other countries do it.

Outside of the EU we can pick and choose to an extent via intergovernmentalism, inside under supranationalism we cannot.

[AgnesIO]

Well yes, that is an option outside of the EU as you're not obliged to adopt their legal framework when you are not a member. So for example, say if Her Majesty's Government is eager to continue the student studying scheme - an intergovernmental conference is opened between the European Union and United Kingdom and an agreement is flashed out. That's how Free Trade Area (FTA's) treaties are flashed out between the EU and non-EU countries. The same would be done for cross-border crime and environmental issues just as all other countries do it.

Outside of the EU we can pick and choose to an extent via intergovernmentalism, inside under supranationalism we cannot.

Yeah, and their not obliged to do everything we want.

[GommeInc]

I'm not claiming they are; what I am stating is that people seem to want this pick and choose system ("we could just leave the EU, I'm sure they'd gladly give us all the bits we like anyway!!11!!1one!")

To be fair there are a few useful parts to the EU. Unfortunately, the EU is asking for too much at the cost of individual national identities and democracy. I'd like to leave the EU and have a collaborative system, where we share ideas, trade, travel and laws but only if the individual nation deems it compatible with their own principles and requirements - not a system which remains supreme over the democratically elected nations including their courts, by throwing themselves into every part of the Governmental process and operations of a nation. I like other countries because they're different and have different views, I'll get bored quickly of France, Slovenia, the Netherlands et al if and when they all have the same basic principles and views, which completely undermine the point of going abroad in the first place.