NSG Senate Chamber [NSG Senate] - Version 3

[Glasgia]

Wait, what? The EFTA gives us free trade with the rest of Europe, and is what countries like Switzerland and Norway have done because they want to stay out of the EU. Why not?

OR, we could just negotiate free-trade agreements with the nations worth trading with, like Switzerland and Norway, and not deal with all of the nasty stuff that happens to nations that get too close to the EU.

The European economic collapses were of Greece, Ireland, Spain, Italy and Portugal, among many others who were hit hard. Notice a pattern? They all used the Euro. It was the economic collapse of the Euro that brought those economies down and by joining the EFTA we allow for an expanding Aurentine market without entangling ourself with the Euro. Any sensible investors will avoid those countries anyway, while government controlled businesses would be made sure they pointed elsewhere.

Wait, what? The EFTA gives us free trade with the rest of Europe, and is what countries like Switzerland and Norway have done because they want to stay out of the EU. Why not?

I don't really like abiding EU laws without being able to participate in their creation.

We do not have to abide by EU laws. We simply have to abide by the laws of the EEA, which are as much influenced by member states of the EFTA as the EU with a single vote to each nation. By joining the EFTA, we avoid the more mundane and nonsensical EU laws such as equal car insurance and many others that serve little apparent purpose except to hurt the people.

Actually, we're not. The bill just orders the government to seek Commonwealth membership.

Well, either way, we're trying to get in.

So.....how's everyone today?

I'm reluctantly meeting with the Commonwealth while asking the President to veto the act.

[Yanalia]

OR, we could just negotiate free-trade agreements with the nations worth trading with, like Switzerland and Norway, and not deal with all of the nasty stuff that happens to nations that get too close to the EU.

The European economic collapses were of Greece, Ireland, Spain, Italy and Portugal, among many others who were hit hard. Notice a pattern? They all used the Euro. It was the economic collapse of the Euro that brought those economies down and by joining the EFTA we allow for an expanding Aurentine market without entangling ourself with the Euro. Any sensible investors will avoid those countries anyway, while government controlled businesses would be made sure they pointed elsewhere.

I don't really like abiding EU laws without being able to participate in their creation.

We do not have to abide by EU laws. We simply have to abide by the laws of the EEA, which are as much influenced by member states of the EFTA as the EU with a single vote to each nation. By joining the EFTA, we avoid the more mundane and nonsensical EU laws such as equal car insurance and many others that serve little apparent purpose except to hurt the people.

Well, either way, we're trying to get in.

So.....how's everyone today?

I'm reluctantly meeting with the Commonwealth while asking the President to veto the act.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Economic_Area

That article suggests otherwise.

"They adopt almost all EU legislation related to the single market, except laws on agriculture and fisheries."
"As a counterpart, these countries have to adopt part of the Law of the European Union. These states have little influence on decision-making processes in Brussels."
"The EFTA countries that are part of the EEA do not bear the financial burdens associated with EU membership, although they contribute financially to the European single market. After the EU/EEA enlargement of 2004, there was a tenfold increase in the financial contribution of the EEA States, in particular Norway, to social and economic cohesion in the Internal Market (€1167 million over five years)."
"The non EU members of the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) have agreed to enact legislation similar to that passed in the EU in the areas of social policy, consumer protection, environment, company law and statistics."
"The non-EU members of the EEA have no representation in Institutions of the European Union such as the European Parliament or European Commission. This situation has been described as a “fax democracy”, with Norway waiting for their latest legislation to be faxed from the Commission."

[Beta Test]

What are the bills at debate?

[Yanalia]

What are the bills at debate?

viewtopic.php?p=15823772#p15823772

[Britanno]

Someone said something about my veto?

I can only veto laws that I believe to be unconstitutional, and joining the Commonwealth without having the Queen as our head of state is not unconstitutional.

Hope that answers your question.

Oh and Yanalia, are you saying you want us to join the EU as well?

[Yanalia]

Someone said something about my veto?

I can only veto laws that I believe to be unconstitutional, and joining the Commonwealth without having the Queen as our head of state is not unconstitutional.

Hope that answers your question.

Oh and Yanalia, are you saying you want us to join the EU as well?

That is correct. Failing that, I would rather not pursue the EEA, and seek separate free trade agreements with countries should we desire them.

[Britanno]

Tell me we're not considering joining the EU...

[Yanalia]

Tell me we're not considering joining the EU...

Define "we" and "considering."

[HumanSanity]

Tell me we're not considering joining the EU...

Define "we" and "considering."

*makes it plural* we is true

[Venaleria]

What are the bills at debate?

You can always find what bills are at debate or vote by scrolling down to the queue and finding which category has the "CURRENTLY AT DEBATE/VOTE" sign. This should tell you always, if I update it on time.

[The Nihilistic view]

The European economic collapses were of Greece, Ireland, Spain, Italy and Portugal, among many others who were hit hard. Notice a pattern? They all used the Euro. It was the economic collapse of the Euro that brought those economies down and by joining the EFTA we allow for an expanding Aurentine market without entangling ourself with the Euro. Any sensible investors will avoid those countries anyway, while government controlled businesses would be made sure they pointed elsewhere.



We do not have to abide by EU laws. We simply have to abide by the laws of the EEA, which are as much influenced by member states of the EFTA as the EU with a single vote to each nation. By joining the EFTA, we avoid the more mundane and nonsensical EU laws such as equal car insurance and many others that serve little apparent purpose except to hurt the people.



I'm reluctantly meeting with the Commonwealth while asking the President to veto the act.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Economic_Area

That article suggests otherwise.

"They adopt almost all EU legislation related to the single market, except laws on agriculture and fisheries."
"As a counterpart, these countries have to adopt part of the Law of the European Union. These states have little influence on decision-making processes in Brussels."
"The EFTA countries that are part of the EEA do not bear the financial burdens associated with EU membership, although they contribute financially to the European single market. After the EU/EEA enlargement of 2004, there was a tenfold increase in the financial contribution of the EEA States, in particular Norway, to social and economic cohesion in the Internal Market (€1167 million over five years)."
"The non EU members of the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) have agreed to enact legislation similar to that passed in the EU in the areas of social policy, consumer protection, environment, company law and statistics."
"The non-EU members of the EEA have no representation in Institutions of the European Union such as the European Parliament or European Commission. This situation has been described as a “fax democracy”, with Norway waiting for their latest legislation to be faxed from the Commission."

So you are against it now?

From an OOC perspective joining anything like the EU ruins it, we can't freely pursue the main reason this RP was created and why we are all here.

[Beta Test]

May I ask, why are we joining EFTA?

[Glasgia]

"They adopt almost all EU legislation related to the single market, except laws on agriculture and fisheries."

Good for them. That's their choice.

"As a counterpart, these countries have to adopt part of the Law of the European Union. These states have little influence on decision-making processes in Brussels."

Only in the four freedoms of goods, services, capital and people, all of which we will have a say in as a member of the European Economic Area with a vote equal to any EU members.

"The EFTA countries that are part of the EEA do not bear the financial burdens associated with EU membership, although they contribute financially to the European single market. After the EU/EEA enlargement of 2004, there was a tenfold increase in the financial contribution of the EEA States, in particular Norway, to social and economic cohesion in the Internal Market (€1167 million over five years)."

So.... We don't pay for the EU but we do pay for what we get, a minor sum which is perfectly reasonable and much lower than what we'd pay as an EU nation.

"The non EU members of the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) have agreed to enact legislation similar to that passed in the EU in the areas of social policy, consumer protection, environment, company law and statistics."

We don't agree to that, we ratify only the EFTA Convention and the Agreement of the EEA, neither of which force us to comply with that agreement.

"The non-EU members of the EEA have no representation in Institutions of the European Union such as the European Parliament or European Commission. This situation has been described as a “fax democracy”, with Norway waiting for their latest legislation to be faxed from the Commission."

Norway chooses to replicate EU legislation, it is in no way forced to

May I ask, why are we joining EFTA?

To create free trade between Aurentine and European markets without the burden of EU membership.

[The Nihilistic view]

To create free trade between Aurentine and European markets without the burden of EU membership.

You know I think you might be onto something, if we write a bill that gets you to negotiate the dropping tariffs on our goods in another country if we do the same to theirs coming into our nation. The advantage of this is it is free, now if only this new idea had an economic theory and a name....................

[Beta Test]

To create free trade between Aurentine and European markets without the burden of EU membership.

You know I think you might be onto something, if we write a bill than gets you to negotiate the dropping tariffs on our goods in another country if we do the same to theirs coming into our nation. The advantage of this is it is free, now if only this new idea had an economic theory and a name....................

[New Bierstaat]

Put me down as opposed to joining the EFTA. We should always protect Aurentine-made goods with tariffs on all imports.

[Beta Test]

Put me down as opposed to joining the EFTA. We should always protect Aurentine-made goods with tariffs on all imports.

I always though libertarians were free traders.

[Placenza]

Put me down as opposed to joining the EFTA. We should always protect Aurentine-made goods with tariffs on all imports.

That's the spirit!

[Finium]

Put me down as opposed to joining the EFTA. We should always protect Aurentine-made goods with tariffs on all imports.

I always though libertarians were free traders.

They... are...

[Ainin]

Put me down as opposed to joining the EFTA. We should always protect Aurentine-made goods with tariffs on all imports.

Aren't you a laissez-faire capitalist?

[New Bierstaat]

Put me down as opposed to joining the EFTA. We should always protect Aurentine-made goods with tariffs on all imports.

Aren't you a laissez-faire capitalist?

For the most part, but remember that my political compass is only +2.75 Right, and this is partially because I support things like labor unions, tariffs, safety regulations, etc., that would benefit and protect Aurentine jobs and workers.

My budget (the official opposition budget) includes a 5% protective tariff.

[Belmaria]

Aren't you a laissez-faire capitalist?

For the most part, but remember that my political compass is only +2.75 Right, and this is partially because I support things like labor unions, tariffs, safety regulations, etc., that would benefit and protect Aurentine jobs and workers.

My budget (the official opposition budget) includes a 5% protective tariff.

I oppose this as well. The idea of a "Single market" (as the EU likes to put it) is ridiculous.

[Skeckoa]

Put me down as opposed to joining the EFTA. We should always protect Aurentine-made goods with tariffs on all imports.

I always though libertarians were free traders.

Yea... Me too. Nonsense this is...

[Geilinor]

The European economic collapses were of Greece, Ireland, Spain, Italy and Portugal, among many others who were hit hard. Notice a pattern? They all used the Euro. It was the economic collapse of the Euro that brought those economies down and by joining the EFTA we allow for an expanding Aurentine market without entangling ourself with the Euro. Any sensible investors will avoid those countries anyway, while government controlled businesses would be made sure they pointed elsewhere.



We do not have to abide by EU laws. We simply have to abide by the laws of the EEA, which are as much influenced by member states of the EFTA as the EU with a single vote to each nation. By joining the EFTA, we avoid the more mundane and nonsensical EU laws such as equal car insurance and many others that serve little apparent purpose except to hurt the people.



I'm reluctantly meeting with the Commonwealth while asking the President to veto the act.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Economic_Area

That article suggests otherwise.

"They adopt almost all EU legislation related to the single market, except laws on agriculture and fisheries."
"As a counterpart, these countries have to adopt part of the Law of the European Union. These states have little influence on decision-making processes in Brussels."
"The EFTA countries that are part of the EEA do not bear the financial burdens associated with EU membership, although they contribute financially to the European single market. After the EU/EEA enlargement of 2004, there was a tenfold increase in the financial contribution of the EEA States, in particular Norway, to social and economic cohesion in the Internal Market (€1167 million over five years)."
"The non EU members of the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) have agreed to enact legislation similar to that passed in the EU in the areas of social policy, consumer protection, environment, company law and statistics."
"The non-EU members of the EEA have no representation in Institutions of the European Union such as the European Parliament or European Commission. This situation has been described as a “fax democracy”, with Norway waiting for their latest legislation to be faxed from the Commission."

I believe joining the EU would be a better idea, we can opt out of joining the Euro and take a position like Sweden or the UK. I don't think the contributions we would have to pay are so burdensome. Most of Northern Europe is doing fine in the EU, the only countries there which haven't joined are Norway or Iceland. Look at Germany, Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden. Joining EFTA is a compromise, but joining the EU doesn't mean we'll get entangled in the Euro debt crisis.

[Costa Alegria]

Why is my licencing and registration bill not included in any of the government bill categories?