Every four years, Europe briefly moves to the centre of the political stage.

Written by Vincent Cable MP and published in Richmond Informer on Fri 4th Jun 2004

Like, I suspect, most British people, I have mixed feelings about the European Union. I admire its achievements and recognise its importance for Britain. But I get infuriated by its intrusiveness and frustrated by its slowness to reform. The media's habit of classifying everyone as 'pro' or 'anti' Europe and the sheer loopiness of those on both extremes, means that moderate, constructive criticism is squeezed out.

Positively, and as D Day celebrations remind us, co-operation has replaced the hatred and killing of two world wars. The former fascist dictatorships of Southern Europe and Communist dictatorships of Eastern Europe have been welcomed in. Europe now has the ability to act independently of the USA. New challenges like cross-border pollution are being addressed.

We take too easily for granted the positive impact on British jobs and new investment of the European Single Market. And we come and go in a way inconceivable a generation ago: Brits with their second homes in Spain or enjoying the French health service; continentals working and studying here.

But there is a negative side too. The Common Agricultural Policy is a monstrous scam channelling billions of pounds and euros from taxpayers and consumers to rural landowners and blocking trade from the world's poor. It should be scrapped as quickly as possible.

And too many decisions are being made in Brussels rather than locally or nationally. European institutions increasingly behave like regulation factories generating unwanted and unnecessary new laws. The proposed new Treaty unhelpfully extends these powers.

The issue is not 'in' or 'out'. It is how to safeguard the beneficial aspects of the EU while reversing the drift towards centralisation and over regulation.