Thread by @cirian75

400 reasons to remain in the EU

EU AND BRITAIN’S GLOBAL ROLE
1. The EU has helped maintain peace in Europe for over 60 years
2. The UK has greater global influence as a member of the EU
3. Brexit would diminish, not enhance, the UK’s global influence

4. The EU provides a counterweight to the global power of the US, Russia and China
5. Trump’s “America First” isolationist, protectionist policies have weakened the UK’s “special relationship” with the US

6. The UK’s closest natural allies are now France, Germany and our other West European neighbours
7. The UK’s global role is defined by its membership of the EU together with other international organisations including NATO, the UN Security Council, OECD, G7 and G20

8. No prominent UK political leaders or parties are advocating leaving any of these other global institutions
9. The UK worked together with other EU members in the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)
10. The EU has worked closely with NATO in enhancing European security

11. EU members have collaborated to support the Iran nuclear deal
12. EU members have imposed common sanctions on Russia since the annexation of the Crimea in 2014
13. EU security cooperation to combat piracy off Somalia

EU TRADE AND INVESTMENT
14. The EU is the world’s largest trading bloc
15. The EU has over 500 million consumers
16. The EU represents 23% of global GDP
17. The EU accounts for 44% of all UK exports of goods and services

18. The EU accounts for 53% of all UK imports of goods and services
19. The UK enjoys tariff-free trade within the EU
20. The abolition of non-tariff barriers (quotas, subsidies, administrative rules etc.) among members

21. The EU never has been a “protectionist racket”
22. The EU is a springboard for trade with the rest of the world through its global clout
23. Participation in EU free trade agreement with Japan
24. Participation in EU free trade agreement with and Canada

25. Participation in EU free trade agreement with South Korea
26. Participation in EU free trade agreement with Mexico
27. Participation in EU free trade agreement with Chile
28. Free trade with Norway, Switzerland and Iceland as a member of the EU

29. Participation in multilateral trade negotiations through EU membership of the WTO
30. Outside the EU the UK would have to renegotiate all its trade agreements
31. On average a free trade agreement takes at least 7 years to negotiate

32. As a member of the EU the UK maintains a say in the shaping of the rules governing its trade with its European partners
33. Brexit would leave the UK still subject to EU trading rules but no longer with any say in shaping them

34. UK trade with some countries in Europe has increased by as much as 50% as a result of EU membership.
35. Cheaper food imports from continental Europe
36. Cheaper alcohol imports from continental Europe

37. All major non-European trading powers are giving priority to trade with the EU as a whole, not the UK on its own
38. Potential future trade partners such as India and Turkey are likely to demand concessions on free movement in exchange for a trade deal

39. The net benefit of EU membership is at least £60 billion per year (CBI estimate)
40. The EU accounts for 47% of the UK’s stock of inward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), worth over $1.2 trillion

41. The UK’s net contribution to the EU budget is around €7.3bn, or 0.4% of GDP (less than an eighth of the UK’s defence spending)
42. The City of London, as a global financial hub, has acted as a bridge between foreign business and the EU

BENEFITS OF THE SINGLE MARKET
43. Investment flows across borders inside the EU have doubled since the introduction of the Single Market in 1993
44. The Single Market underpins access to European supply chains

45. Free movement of labour from the EU has overwhelmingly benefitted the UK economy
46. FDI into the UK has effectively doubled since the creation of the EU Single Market
47. Access to the EU Single Market has helped attract investment into the UK from outside the EU

49. Tory Brexiters have conveniently forgotten that Margaret Thatcher was a leading architect and supporter of the Single Market
50. British banks have been able to operate freely across the EU
51. British insurance companies have been able to operate freely across the EU

52. Long delays at ports and airports will occur if the UK leaves both the single market and customs union
53. The Single Market has brought the best continental footballers to the Premier League

BENEFITS OF THE CUSTOMS UNION
54. No customs duties are paid on goods moving between EU Member States
55. All member states apply a common customs tariff for goods imported from outside the EU

56. Goods that have been legally imported can circulate throughout the EU with no further customs checks
57. According to the government’s own estimates leaving the Customs Union would reduce growth by 8% over 15 years

58. Membership of the Customs Union is essential to maintaining a frictionless border in Northern Ireland

HOW DOES THE UK BENEFIT FROM EU FUNDING?

59. 13% of EU budget earmarked for scientific research and innovation
60. The UK receives £730 million a year in EU funding for research
61. EU funding for UK universities

62 Potential damaging loss of Horizon 2020 research funding if the UK leaves the EU
63 Cornwall receives up to £750 million per year from the EU Social Fund (ESF)
64 £26m capital funding from the EU for the Eden project

65 £25m funding from the EU for Blackpool’s tourist infrastructure and improved sea defences
66 £50 million EU funding towards the International Convention Centre and Symphony Hall in Birmingham

66 £50 million EU funding towards the International Convention Centre & Symphony Hall in Birmingham
67 £450 million of EU funding destined to be spent on improving infrastructure on Merseyside in the period 2014 to 2020, including John Lennon airport & the cruise liner terminal

68 The Scottish Highlands, East Wales and Tees Valley are due to receive EU funding of over €300 per person in the period 2014-2020
69 20,000 projects in the north of England received EU funding between 2007-2013 creating over 70,000 jobs

68 The Scottish Highlands, East Wales and Tees Valley are due to receive EU funding of over €300 per person in the period 2014-2020
69 20,000 projects in the north of England received EU funding between 2007-2013 creating over 70,000 jobs

70 EU funding for the regeneration of Redcar seafront
71 EU funding for the Digital City in Middlesbrough
72 Structural funding for areas of the UK hit by industrial decline (South Wales, Yorkshire)

73 Support for rural areas under the European Agricultural Fund for Regional Development (EAFRD)
74 £122 million EU funding for the “Midlands engine” project
75 Financial support from the EU for over 3000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UK

74 £122 million EU funding for the “Midlands engine” project
75 Financial support from the EU for over 3000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UK
76 EU funding for British sport, including football apprenticeships, tennis and rugby league

77 Access to the European Solidarity Fund in case of natural disasters
78 Since 1985 the UK has received a budget rebate equivalent to 66% of its net contribution to the EU budget

79 Leaving the EU would mean no more access to EU funding in many important areas

EU AND CONSUMER RIGHTS

80 Europe-wide patent and copyright protection
81 EU consumer protection laws concerning transparency and product guarantees of quality and safety

82 Under EU law consumers can send back a product bought anywhere in the EU if it breaks down within two years of purchase.
83 EU law prohibits misleading advertising
84 Improved food labeling
85 A ban on growth hormones and other harmful food additives

85 A ban on growth hormones and other harmful food additives
86 Cheaper air travel due to EU competition laws
87 Common EU maritime passenger rights
88 Common EU bus passenger rights

89 Deregulation of the European energy market has increased consumer choice and lowered prices
90 EU competition laws protect consumers by combatting monopolistic business practices
91 Strict controls on the operations of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in the EU

92 Outside the EU there is no guarantee that a future UK government would maintain the current levels of consumer protection

EU AND LABOUR RIGHTS
93 Minimum paid annual leave and time off work (Working Time Directive)
94 Equal pay between men and women enshrined in European law since 1957
95 The right to work no more than 48 hours a week without paid overtime

96 Minimum guaranteed maternity leave of 14 weeks for pregnant women
97 Rights to a minimum 18 weeks of parental leave after child birth
98 EU anti-discrimination laws governing age, religion and sexual orientation
99 EU rules governing health and safety at work

100 The rights to collective bargaining and trade union membership are enshrined in EU employment law
101 Outside the EU a future UK government would be allowed to lower labour protection standards

EU AND EDUCATION

102 EU funding for UK universities
103 46,000 EU nationals work in UK universities
104 The mutual recognition of professional qualifications has facilitated the free movement of engineers, teachers and doctors across the EU

105 The mutual recognition of educational diplomas
106 The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has standardized assessment of language proficiency across the EU

107 The freedom to study in 28 countries (many EU universities teach courses in English and charge lower fees than in the UK)
108 The Erasmus programme of university exchanges (benefiting 16000 UK students a year)

109 Brexit would seriously compromise the rights and opportunities for the younger generation
110 Brexit is overwhelmingly opposed by people under 30
111 The Brexit referendum has divided many families between pro-EU younger generations and pro-Brexit parents and grandparents

EU AND THE ENVIRONMENT

112 The EU has played a leading role in combatting global warming (Paris 2015 climate change conference)
113 Common EU greenhouse gas emissions targets (19% reduction from 1990 to 2015)

114 Improvements in air quality (significant reductions in sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) as a result of EU legislation
115 Reductions in sewage emissions
116 Improvements in the quality of beach water
117 Improvements in the quality of bathing water

118 EU standards on the quality of drinking water
119 EU targets to reduce water pollution in Britain’s rivers
120 Restrictions on landfill dumping
121 EU targets for recycling
122 EU directive enforcing the use of unleaded petrol

123 Common EU regulations on the transportation and disposal of toxic waste
124 The implementation of EU policies to reduce noise pollution in urban areas
125 EU policies have stimulated offshore wind farms
126 EU support for solar energy

127 EU award of €9.3 million to Queens University Belfast for research into tidal and wave energy
128 EU promotion of the circular economy to enhance environmental sustainability
129 Outside the EU a future UK government would be free to lower environmental standards

130 Strict safety standards for cars, buses and trucks
131 Protection of endangered species and habitats (EU Natura 2000 network)
132 Strict ban on animal testing in the cosmetics industry

EU CITIZENS IN THE UK
133 3.7 million citizens of the EU 27 are legally resident in the UK
134 The overwhelming majority of EU residents study, work and pay taxes, contributing greatly to the UK economy

135 UK has never implemented the EU directive 2004/38/EC which allows EU member states to repatriate EU nationals after three months if they have not found the means to support themselves
136 The UK government has used EU nationals as bargaining chips in the Brexit negotiations

137 Uncertainty about Brexit has caused a significant fall in net migration since the referendum
138 Free movement of labour has helped UK firms plug skills gaps (translators, doctors, plumbers)
139 10% of doctors in the NHS are EU nationals

140 7% of nurses in the NHS are EU nationals
141 46,000 EU nationals work in UK universities
142 Free movement of labour has helped address shortages of unskilled workers (fruit picking, catering)
143 28% of construction workers in London are from the EU

144 EU migrants make up 45 percent of the tourism and hospitality workforce
145 The retail industry has 170,000 people from the EU directly working for it, which accounts for 6% of the industry’s UK workforce

I shall return with more later on

the full doc

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