What if we leave the EU?
Comments
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Sorry, I seem to have inadvertently 'hijacked' the thread by mentioning our discussion about the Scottish referendum, but I was trying to say that the French and the Belgian we spoke to weren't in favour of the EU either - and felt it had been forced upon
them as a German concept.0 -
Isn't it strange what short memories we all have concerning the pass (pre-EU). Have we all forgot the three too five hour wait just to catch the ferry in Dover to Calais and i still remember the 13 hour wait in 1973 just to get into Gibralter for a days
work. I think anyone who thinks the Brexit wont make a difference are deluding themselves. Can you image the French/Spanish authorities not singling out the Brits at air/ferryports, i've lived in both (and still do) and they would just love it to get one
over the arrogant Brits.0 -
It must be an age thing because i caught the ferry back then at least twice a week and on average the wait was at least three hours because that was the time you where given before departure, non of that arriving so early happens now. So Brexit imho would
have a negative effect on our hobby back to green cards and all that no thanks.0 -
We've never experienced any hostility towards us on any of our travels, in Europe, or further afield.
If we decide to leave, as Steve has said, the E111 reciprocal health insurance will discontinue, and I'm not sure about car insurance, ours covers us for all EU countries, but doubt if that will continue either.
And, I assume, the limits on wine etc brought back to the UK will revert to the 3 litres level.
Need to stock up soonIf I want a bottle of wine I'll just go and buy one.
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Its not the English we dislike. Its the BBC we dislike! But then again the BBC act as if they are superior to everyone.
Thats funny, I always feel perfectly in tune with the BBC if you will forgive the pun
David
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Back to serious matters. I don't suppose for one moment there would be any hostility towards British travellers from ordinary EU citizens, unless of course a British exit from the EU were to have a destabilising efffect across the Channel. The truth is none of us know how in practical terms an exit would affect us. A run on Sterling would affect us although if that happened we have no way of knowing whether that would short or long term. I am sure British phone networks would be rubbing their hand in glee at the prospect of charging us more to use our phones in Europe. We would have no influence on rules that would apply to our hobby like construction and use of caravans and motorhomes. Would it be possible that if we did not follow EU rules on such things we would be prevented from travelling to Europe unless our outfits met with these rules. Staying in we have a degree of certainty but coming out we just don't know. It could take so long to sort out that we might all be retired from travelling so it just might be academic?
David
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Staying in we have a degree of certainty but coming out we just don't know. It could take so long to sort out that we might all be retired from travelling so it just might be academic?
David
Very true, so often it is better to stay with the devil you know rather than take a leap into the unknown.Back to the original question, I have met some hostility towards the English from individuals on the Cointinent. I have also met great kindness and honesty but I would take neither as being indicative of the whole. I think you can expect that in all walks
of life On balance travel on the Continent is a pleasant experience and I would hope which ever way a referendum went, this would not changepeedee.
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By default if we left the EU we would be subject to the same travel restrictions as other non-EU nationals, most noticably a max of 90 days in any 180 days - this would be a major issue for some. I suppose we would have to negotiate some kind of special
arrangement but as with the health card etc this is all very uncertain and no doubt will remian so. IMO we are being asked to vote on something when we have no idea of the possible consequences.0 -
I dont think the practicalities of tourng Europe would alter that much and think we would probably be in the same position as the Swiss but I still think its a crazy idea and the more I see of those politicians in favour of exit the more conviced
I am."probably be in the same position as the Swiss" - only if the remaining EU members so agreed and we just don't know if they would !
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Isn't it strange what short memories we all have concerning the pass (pre-EU). Have we all forgot the three too five hour wait just to catch the ferry in Dover to Calais and i still remember the 13 hour wait in 1973 just to get into Gibralter for a days
work. I think anyone who thinks the Brexit wont make a difference are deluding themselves. Can you image the French/Spanish authorities not singling out the Brits at air/ferryports, i've lived in both (and still do) and they would just love it to get one
over the arrogant Brits.Write your comments here...you mean like the four hour wait we had at the Chunnel last June due to migrant activity facilitated by the EU's Schengen Agreement on borderless travel within mainland Europe?La plus ca change....
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If we leave I assume the French will be a little more unsociable than they are now.
I certainly don't believe it will do the UK any good!
Write your comments here...inference to be made that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into making a proEU decision?Hillaire Belloc "hang on tight to dear old nurse for fear of something far worse" ...?
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If we leave I assume the French will be a little more unsociable than they are now.
I certainly don't believe it will do the UK any good!
Never found them any more unsociable than many British. However, on the bottom statement we agree.
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i thought the two main 'EU' issues that concerned folk in the uk were the level if immigration (pressure on existing services etc) and level of 'jusistiction' over us (our laws overturned by thise made elsewhere)....
as neither of these things has been addressed (to pretty much any degree by the latest 'talks') there is no real 'reformed' membership to even think about.....
another waste of our money.....
so, would leaving the EU affect what we (vanners) do..?
probably, in the areas discussed....border control, health benefits etc.....length of stay....??
.....but in the wider world......trade etc.....I doubt it....plenty of 'external' nations trade with those inside the EU.....and vice versa....
however, we would be able to set our own migration levels and our own laws etc......
swings and roundabouts.....
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I'm not convinced that Brexit will actually address many of the issues that the 'outers' are so exercised about. If we came out, we may still be facing the problems that, theoretically, our politicians are supposed to be solving. We may also have a whole
lot of new ones. As Theo Paphitis said on Question Time the other evening, "it would be nice to have some facts instead of rhetoric".0 -
To me it is a great privalege to be able to travel freely in Europe with or without the van. I can spend the winter in the Canaries, spring in Portugal, summer in Croatia and Autumn in France all interspered with a little time at home
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it is this lifestyle that I have worked all my life to enjoy. If the UK leaves the EU and we are not able to do this we would up sticks and move our residence to Portugal. To me the EU referrendum is about the "real" things that will impact on me and my
family.0 -
i thought the two main 'EU' issues that concerned folk in the uk were the level if immigration (pressure on existing services etc) and level of 'jusistiction' over us (our laws overturned by thise made elsewhere)....
as neither of these things has been addressed (to pretty much any degree by the latest 'talks') there is no real 'reformed' membership to even think about.....
another waste of our money.....
so, would leaving the EU affect what we (vanners) do..?
probably, in the areas discussed....border control, health benefits etc.....length of stay....??
.....but in the wider world......trade etc.....I doubt it....plenty of 'external' nations trade with those inside the EU.....and vice versa....
however, we would be able to set our own migration levels and our own laws etc......
swings and roundabouts.....
I don't think a lot would change, so better to stay and try to reform from insude. We would need to comply with most rules anyway to survive.
Norway, which is not in the EU, to be able to trade etc, still has to fall into line with pretty much all the rules, it's really only the fishing and farming lobby that have kept them out.
When my sister comes here, she has her EHIC, looks just like ours, nobody looks at her passport. She comes with us abroad, nobody bothers that we present 1 UK and 2 Norwegian passports.
Norway is being overwhelmed by migrants too, they pay benefits to migrants like UK does, and lots of the child benefit goes abroad.
I would think it would be the same here if UK left.
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and KjellNN dont forget that your sister can only travel as she does because Norway is in the Schengen area - the UK is not
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To me it is a great privalege to be able to travel freely in Europe with or without the van. I can spend the winter in the Canaries, spring in Portugal, summer in Croatia and Autumn in France all interspered with a little time at home
,
it is this lifestyle that I have worked all my life to enjoy. If the UK leaves the EU and we are not able to do this we would up sticks and move our residence to Portugal. To me the EU referrendum is about the "real" things that will impact on me and my
family.Were you not able to vist any of those countries before we joined the EU then?
I seem to remember going to all of them....it will be the same after we leave the EU.
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To me it is a great privalege to be able to travel freely in Europe with or without the van. I can spend the winter in the Canaries, spring in Portugal, summer in Croatia and Autumn in France all interspered with a little time at home
,
it is this lifestyle that I have worked all my life to enjoy. If the UK leaves the EU and we are not able to do this we would up sticks and move our residence to Portugal. To me the EU referrendum is about the "real" things that will impact on me and my
family.Were you not able to vist any of those countries before we joined the EU then?
I seem to remember going to all of them....it will be the same after we leave the EU.
yes you can visit these countries if UK exits EU but defacto only for 90 days in 180 - so for example you could not spend May and June in Portugal and then say August and September in Croatia. I appreciate for those that are still working this is irrelevent
but for us retired folk who want to spend time in the sun this would be a major issue.0
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