What benefit is the UK deriving from membership of the EU's Single Market?

I would say you are one who knows the cost of everything but the value of nothing, to only see the benefits in terms of money is very short sighted. There is not enough room to list all the benefits we have from membership but I will give as many as space allows. Not least amongst the achievements of the EU include: War between Europe's major powers is now unthinkable. The fact that the two world wars that shaped the last century now seem so remote is, in itself, tribute to a visionary project that has permanently changed the landscape. Democracy is flourishing in 27 countries. Spain, Portugal, Greece, and the EU's 10 ex-Communist countries are parliamentary democracies. Each is now a democracy anchored within the EU and is unlikely to change course. Crime-busting co-operation, through Europe. The police in EU member states can now use an EU arrest warrant to get suspects moved from one country to another. EU law and peer pressure - including annual reports - have forced the UK to clean up its act, for example bringing the once-dirty waters off Blackpool beach up to standard. The EU Working Time Directive ensures that all Europeans get at least four weeks of paid holiday per year. In the US many workers get a fortnight. The same directive provides for 11 hours rest in every 24 and one day of rest per week plus a rest break if the working day is longer than six hours. Minimum standards are set for paid maternity and paternity leave. No EU member state has the death penalty and reintroduction of capital punishment would not be compatible with EU membership. When the BSE crisis subsided and British meat was judged safe, the European Court of Justice ordered France to resume imports. France contested the ruling but had no alternative in the end. By contrast, the US retains an embargo. The EU has announced the most ambitious targets for curbing carbon emissions, promising a cut of at least one-fifth on 1990 levels by 2020. The EU also has blazed a trail with its carbon emissions trading system which, despite teething troubles, is still a model for other parts of the world. The European Union and its member states paid out more than €43bn in 2005 in public aid to developing countries. This is the equivalent of 0.34 per cent of GNP of the 25 member states, and is higher than the per capita aid levels of the United States at around 0.2 per cent. More than €7bn is channelled through the EU. Airlines deemed to be unsafe are now banned from travelling into any EU country. Recently some of Pakistan's national carrier were barred because of safety fears. Any citizen of a European country is entitled to free medical treatment if he or she is taken ill or suffers an accident in another member state. So long as you carry the correct form from your national health service, no questions will be asked. The EU is building its crisis intervention force and has taken over operations in Bosnia from Nato. EU forces have also been in action in Africa helping avert humanitarian crises. In addition the EU has a big policing project. Any airlines granted a licence in an EU country - meeting safety standards and other conditions - can operate services anywhere within the EU. Between 1992 and 2000 prices at the cheaper end of the market fell by 40 per cent. Any consumer can send back a product if it breaks down within two years of purchase. Manufacturers often claim that they offer only a 12 month guarantee, but EU law states otherwise and consumers are demanding their rights. Food labelling is much clearer. All ingredients used in food products must be listed. Any GM ingredients must be mentioned as must colouring, preservatives and other chemical additives. Since November 2004 the EU has banned animal testing on finished cosmetic products entirely. Remaining safety testing on animals of ingredients for cosmetics will be ended. Tough European laws protect birds, flora and fauna, Some of the UK's poorest regions have benefited from massive handouts from the EU which has been used to regenerate some of the country's most run-down areas. Scotland's Highland and Islands have benefited enormously as have the Welsh mining valleys, Cornwall and deprived inner cities like Liverpool. As it develops common foreign and defence policies, the EU is finding its voice. Europe's interests and those of America and the emerging powers, such as China and India, will sometimes coincide, sometimes conflict. Could Britain's interests be protected if we stood alone or if we became a junior partner of the US? The introduction of the Human Rights Acts has provided a legal framework to prevent abuses of power. Professionals from doctors to architects now have a right to have their national qualifications recognised across the EU.

If you look at it this way there are actually a series of seprate farmer's markets and people trying to get away ffrom oil use by selling at them. of course the benefits of the internet is it furthers democracy and creates constitution as computer progra of which european ip addreses can obey to include ideas of environmentalism and green marxism as well as libralism. and elected media.

We were already in the Common Market when the EU was formed, so had invested quite a lot of money already. When the EU came along we joined by default as our Prime Minister at the time was a moron and fancied himself a player in the Europe scene. As luck would have it the British Public told Blair they did not want to be in the Euro and from that point on there has been damage control for being part of it. I see what you are saying, but if you have a look at the europa website you will see there is some good to it for us Britt's. A few new theatres and some tourist attraction being cleaned up.