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EU Constitution
31 replies
roxlad said on October 28, 2004 21:25:
Tomorrow we, the 25 countries of the EU, will have our Constitution signed in Rome. Any considerations? I’m happy about it even though I’d like to know more...
Edit: let’s see if all 25 member states are present in the TDR forum....
1. I’ll sign for Italy, (I could sign for the UK also, I have double nationality but just one signature per person).
Starrox said on October 29, 2004 13:25:
“hmm a united europe, isnt that what hitler wanted?”
Please tell me you’re kidding! :o If not: please do yourself (and us) a favor and read a history book...
on_a_mission said on October 29, 2004 13:39:
UK, resident in Sweden. Excercising rights of EU citizenship under one of the about to be renumbered articles. Again.
Oldag75 said on October 29, 2004 16:37:
Will the new constitution uphold the momentum of socialism’s corrosive influence in Europe?
And I think Hitler did want a united Europe – under Nazi rule, with Russia exploited to provide resources (not unlike the British “administered” India, though considerably more brutal).
roxlad said on October 29, 2004 19:16:
@cowboy The Union is based on democracy and on diversity, the motto is ’united in diversity’... anyway so far we have:
roxlad: Italy
Kiwein1: Germany
Kama: Poland
Rich-UK: UK
Judith: Spain or Austria??
on_a_mission: UK
still 20 to go... :)
on_a_mission said on October 29, 2004 21:05:
roxlad, its better, way better. from both a general and personal viewpoint. Its only for a year though. dammit!
roxlad said on October 29, 2004 22:04:
@Judith.... so for which are you signing? :)
@OAM... could you tell me a little more? I took a year off work and was thinking about moving abroad for 6 months.... (within the EU).
on_a_mission said on October 30, 2004 13:23:
yea roxlad, what exactly do you want to know? list some questions here and I will either answer them here or srop you an email. oam//
coyboyusa said on October 31, 2004 16:44:
democracy and diversity...however u MUST adopt one form of Currency, MUST abide by the EU constitution, Must westernize your society before you can join sure sounds all so democratic to me
on_a_mission said on October 31, 2004 23:52:
not nescessarily, yes there is a democractic deficit given the institutional structure, and yes there are conditions of accession. However, the choice to acceed as a nation state is YOURS. There are countries in the EU who retain their own currency, and the EU has a limited ambit of compentence. I don’t know what you think the EU is coyboy, but it is not the ’Evil Empire’. ENjoy Novemeber 2nd.
On ’westernizing’. The EU is a monetary/economic union based on the 4 principles of free movement of: goods, services, persons and capital. To ensure the continued good running of the Union it is nescessary to ascribe to a largely homogenous economic ideaology. Inevitably this has social consequences, but the states remain states in themselves, with the majority of social policy competence within their grasp. the EU is not intended to obliterate national identity and never will. This is not the intended nature of the Union. /oam//
Jud (moderator) said on November 1, 2004 15:05:
I am actually fed up with the so-called EU, so far it brought nothing positive to me. Now I must register my car in Austria (Spanish car) and I have to pay IMPORT-tax wtf??? The car IS mine, I didn’t buy it new now or whatever... just an example *grrr*
on_a_mission said on November 1, 2004 16:34:
a UN press release.....might be talking about the wrong union here.
@Judith, what kind of justification did they give for that? Surely you can dispute that, its double taxation afterall. Unless the tax is purely for reregistering the vehicle in the new country. then you’re f**ked I’m afraid.
Jud (moderator) said on November 1, 2004 16:56:
this tax is payed by nationals who buy a car (new or second hand), they have to pay this tax (NOVA- which I am not sure if it is really a tax as for new cars the 20% of VAT is to be summed :O) before they can register the car in their city.
Such tax is to be payed if you import a car too.. and somehow the law considers a person that has moved here from another country who takes the car with her.. is importing the car to the country of (new) residence. HOW they understand that I have no clue but I surely payed my taxes when I bought my car in 99...
Let me have a look at this law in other countries.
on_a_mission said on November 1, 2004 18:55:
so technically its an import tax. As the same tax is payable by nationals who buy a car in their own country the tax cannot be seen as a restriction (or a measure equivalent to )on the free movements of goods or services. Again, the EU can;t help you. Just pay the tax I’m afraid. Sorry Jud, oam//
roxlad said on November 1, 2004 23:43:
Wow! I never thought this thread would raise so many q&a’s! Well that’s good anyway.
The EU is of course not perfect but I believe we’re on the right direction.
@OAM You seem to know a lot, my compliments. About my question, I’d like to work in Sweden for 3 to 6 months, not because of Roxette but because I like the country itself. Do you have any tips on accomodation or health or anything that comes into your mind?
Jud (moderator) said on November 2, 2004 07:34:
Accomodation it depends on the city.. and what you want to do there.. work or just holidays? :) Stockholm for example is damn expensive, other smaller tows are cheaper.
Regarding the health: as you are Italian, I guess you are insured in Italy.. either under your parents insurance or work or unemployment.
If you are under your parents insurance - you can ask for the E111 that’s valid for up to 3 months (you can renew it as many times as you want so when it’s over you should ask your parents to send another one for 3 months more). If you are unemployed and getting unemployment money this should work the same way, but then you have to ask to go on getting this money in Sweden, and you have to come back after 3 months (or you loose the unemployment).
Of course if you work in Sweden you get it payed from your salary by the company.
I am not sure anymore how it works if you want to study there though.
roxlad said on November 2, 2004 07:40:
@Judith, thanks for the info!
I’d like to improve my Swedish by attending classes either in the afternoon or in the evening. Seen as I don’t have unlimited money I’d also like to get a part time job just to pay for food and maybe have some ’pengar’ to go out every now and again. Unfortunately I cannot think of anything, what kind of part time job could I do if I only speak a little Swedish?
on_a_mission said on November 3, 2004 23:57:
hi roxlad,
sorry I have been neglecting the threads, I’ve had exams and stuff. As you are a European Union citizen you are entitled to exactly the same benifits/conditions as a swedish citizen. This includes social assistance/healthcare. However, if you become an unnescessary burden on the state ’ie a benefit bum’ you can expect to be deported. However, this is very unlikely.
I haven’t had any health problems (touch wood) but Sweden operates a free health service. Form E1-11 now covers long stay health insurance. Check with your own revenue service before departure (or whoever issues E1-11 in your state) but I think this should cover it.
If you intend to stay more than three months you must obtain a residence permit. I obtained this under student conditions, the conditions for employed persons may vary slightly, but the swedish state will advise you.
On language there is a ’folksunitversitetet’ (peoples university), they give language tuition. the cost may be quite high, but they are a known provider.
I don’t know anything about the emplyment market, but there is a principle of non discrimination on the grounds of nationality etc (article 12 EC), in the Treaty. Providing you are a suitable candidate for any job, there should be no legal barriers to employment.
Sweden is expensive, on average 20% more than the UK, at a rough guess. As for an Italian comparison I am not so sure. I’d do a bit of research before you go, ie, see where there are jobs in your field and where you would like to live. http://www.visitsweden.com may be a good start.
Ideally, obtain an offer of employment before you travel to sweden. However, you are free to go and look for work and remain in the country for up to 3 months, possibly more providing you can prove to state authorities that you have a ’genuine chance of being engaged’.
Thats all I can remember right now. If you want more clarity feel free to post again/oam//
ncurran said on November 4, 2004 18:09:
thats the thing i love the most about the EU...that i now have the choice of living and working in any of 25 countries...it really is the best passport to have in the world
on_a_mission said on November 4, 2004 18:30:
its no problem roxlad, let me know if you decide anything. I’m going up to stockholm this weekend so I will put my opinion in the stockholm thread thats somewhere on off topic.
best of luck, oam//
Kiwein1 said on October 28, 2004 21:32:
2.) Germany here :)