How the EU has been unmasked and emasculated by COVID-19

European nation states re-emerge as EU laws are tossed aside

Bureaucratic EU monolith proves unable to do enough, fast enough, to be of use to anyone

Below we summarise just some of the ways in which a global pandemic has challenged the globalist EU… and found it wanting.

We live in strange times. The reaction of the entire world to the COVID-19 virus has transformed almost every aspect of our lives. One of the many – as yet unreported - consequences of the virus has been its effect on the EU machine and its reputation.

All anyone really needs to know about the mentality of the Brussels-dwelling bureaucrats and ideologues is contained in the opening to the EU’s latest statement:-

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

EU's response to the COVID-19 crisis

“The Commission will use all the instruments at its disposal to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic, in particular:”

To ensure the necessary supplies to our health systems by preserving the integrity of the Single Market and of production and distribution of value chains;
To support people so that income and jobs are not affected disproportionally and to avoid permanent effect of this crisis;
To support firms and ensure that the liquidity of our financial sector can continue to support the economy
And to allow Member States to act decisively in a coordinated way, through using the full flexibility of our State Aid and Stability and Growth Pact Frameworks.”

- EU Commission statement 13 Mar 2020

Readers will note that in the midst of a global health, societal and economic crisis, the EU’s first thought is “preserving the integrity of the Single Market”.

Nation states re-emerge, borders go up, EU laws are thrown aside

Below are some of the clear demonstrations of the irrelevancy of the EU at a time of crisis. The governments of the member countries of the EU have acted individually to protect the interests of their citizens and their nations. The EU Commission is currently behind the curve, trying to play catch-up.

The EU’s ‘open borders’, already a myth because of the EU's migrant crisis, have now almost all been closed
EU member countries have taken unilateral action, ignoring the EU Commission
To all intents and purposes the EU’s ‘Schengen Zone’ is now non-existent
The main fiscal response to the Coronavirus will come from Member States' national budgets
Wage subsidies, suspension of corporate taxes and VAT and N.I. contributions – all are now allowed
EU countries can give direct financial support to consumers
EU State Aid rules have gone out of the window – everything is possible if it can be linked to COVID-19
In effect this means it’s open season for all State Aid
The EU’s fiscal and borrowing rules have followed the State Aid rules out of the window
The EU’s rules for quality approval on products - its ‘CE mark’ – are about to be abandoned for health products
This is because countries have already started importing non-approved products, so the EU had no choice
Some key laws for airlines are being put aside

Every important decision that has been taken has been taken by individual EU countries, not by the EU

All the EU can do is pretend to be leading, when in fact it is following everyone

Observations

In the last week the key thing that struck us was that the important news was coming out of individual countries, not from the EU.

None of the EU countries could afford to wait for the EU to do anything, so they went right ahead and did what they needed to do, regardless of EU laws or rules. All the EU Commission has done is attempt to play catch-up, so as not to seem irrelevant.

In reality this has shown up the EU machine for what it is – a dysfunctional, undemocratic and unnecessary bureaucratic impediment to swift and decisive action. Its laws, rules and regulations have been unilaterally tossed aside by national governments acting in the interests of their own citizens and their own countries, and unwilling to be encumbered by Brussels eurocrats.

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[ Sources: EU Commission | National press in many EU countries ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Sun 15 Mar 2020

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Reader Comments 16

11. DAVID CHALLINGSWORTH , Sunday, March 15, 2020, 17:04:

One must remember that if the EU tried to lead at this time and governments went their own way this would put the EU in a position where local governments were going against the rules ( which we must remember would take many months to come into play ) in the interest of their own people. The EU commission has no population other than themselves and are of course only answerable to themselves.

12. Ross , Sunday, March 15, 2020, 20:36:

Those 4 statements are just bureaucratic rubbish. Even if they could do those things, which is debatable, just like the UN they would have to form a committee , have numerous meetings ,etc. before they act --meanwhile about 12 months, at least, has past !

13. Adam Hiley , Sunday, March 15, 2020, 23:26:

We could be witnessing the end of the EU mercifully

14. John , Monday, March 16, 2020, 03:10:

All this has highlighted just how fractured and dissipated the EU has become over the years.
Ten years ago the very idea of one state leaving the EU would have been "sat on" by Germany, France and (possibly) Greece - mainly because of the EU's grip on their finances and possible bankruptcy - but now is a totally different story.
My "vision" for the future is WE, having left the "EEC" - which never really existed - have now left the EU in a totally untenable situation; Greece is BEYOND broke, Spain isn't far behind, Italy isn't much better and we STILL have a wall of silence from the Portugese.
So, short of a COMPLETE re-arrangement of international fiscal arrangements, the EU, as an international entitiy is a busted flush; what that will mean in terms of future agreements (or otherwise) is now in the hands of international banking corporations; the EU 'movers and shakers' are doing their damdest to point their fingers at the UK for causing "their problems", but I, personally beleive that THEY were the cause of their own misfortune.
THEY started it with their silly 'rules and regulations' - and NOW we're gonna finish it.

15. Diane , Saturday, March 21, 2020, 12:46:

And the other taboo subject likely to be coming to the forefront of discussions with the critical financial & economic situation as it is, is debt mutualisation, a very bumpy ride on that one I suspect. Might the UK be affected? No doubt we shall see / hear more on this in due course.

16. Linda Martin , Sunday, September 20, 2020, 11:31:

It seems strange to me that you complain the EU took away our sovereignty and then, when states use their sovereignty you say the EU isn't working? It also seems strange that some think Johnson and his government have doen a good job during covid - the largest death toll so far in Europe; lack of PPE for NHS staff; test, track and trace inadequate?

16 comments, page 2 of 2

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