Phnom Penh '86
New member
...European Union? This is not intended to be a sarcastic question - I honestly know next to nothing about the EU, aside from the MEP election details.
I understand that we pay a huge amount of money to be part of the EU; and that the member states are being asked to increase their contributions to the EU. From yesterday's news reports, I understand the contributions to the EU from the UK amount to several billions. But what do individual countries get in return?
It is also my understanding that, as we are not using the Euro currency, if the UK went bankrupt then France, Germany et al would be under zero obligation to bail us out. So what exactly are the benefits of being in the EU? Trade? United Forces? What?
I understand that we pay a huge amount of money to be part of the EU; and that the member states are being asked to increase their contributions to the EU. From yesterday's news reports, I understand the contributions to the EU from the UK amount to several billions. But what do individual countries get in return?
It is also my understanding that, as we are not using the Euro currency, if the UK went bankrupt then France, Germany et al would be under zero obligation to bail us out. So what exactly are the benefits of being in the EU? Trade? United Forces? What?