What now for the EU ?

[Listy]

This may have many factors. One of them is that the UK tests quite heavily, 1,010,369 tests per million population. On the other hand, countries like Germany or Ireland are content with 446,172 or 595,097 tests per million population.

Coronavirus Update (Live): 100,166,489 Cases and 2,146,469 Deaths from COVID-19 Virus Pandemic - Worldometer

You can say tha probably in Ireland and Germany a lot of diseases are not detected due to these relatively few tests and consequently the number of real deaths is questionable.

The important question, however, is who will have been vaccinated comparatively quickly, and I see no hope for the EU in this regard.

When all this started didn't everyone hold up the German response as the best because they were testing everything?

 

[dogmeat]

But the prize for silly European marching goes without question to the Greek Army.

What Does It Take To Be A Greek Presidential Guard?

A half-Greek Yorkshireman has just completed his nine months of conscription in the Greek Army.

www.forces.net

No sillier than wearing a giant fur hat to pretend you're taller.

 

[Truxx]

Time for HMG to levy transit taxes on foreign trucks in the UK, then.

They do

Although currently suspended due to Covid.

A tenner a day

 

[Truxx]

Anyway I am sure that those who screamed about the Internal Markets Bill will be all over the shocking behaviour of the Borg in relation to vaccination and will be along shortly to decry EU behaviour in equally shouty terms.

What's that?

They are washing their hair?

 

[Dread]

They do

Although currently suspended due to Covid.

A tenner a day

I had a quick glance at HGV Road User Levy | Freightlink - The Freight Ferry People .

Time to enact a little bit of reciprocity to the leprechauns.

Dublin Port to NI border = 105.9 miles by road. Cost = EUR 70.
Holyhead Port to Port of Dover = 377 miles. Current cost = EUR 11.2.

Let's revise that to a happy united price of brotherhood with our bogtrotting cousins to EUR 570.

Can't say fairer than that!

 

[re-stilly]

Am I the only one who gets the feeling things are about to go horribly wrong on the other side of the ditch?

If the EU does not start sorting out the vaccination debacle soon, the EU27 will have to extend lockdowns (meaning more riots, lockdown fatigue, and space for conspiracies to grow) or loosen control measures and let deaths go through the roof.

Am I being optimistic?

Fixed...honestly there is no need to thank me.

 

[Grownup_Rafbrat]

Astra Zenica U.K./Swedish
Pfizer American
Moderna American

Seizing production from non EU companies will do wonders for the EU’s business reputation.
and as for the US firms? The Americans tend to be very protective - Trade Wars R Us again.

No doubt there will be a massive campaign about the EU breaking International Law if they try anything like that?

Surely?

 

[Truxx]

I had a quick glance at HGV Road User Levy | Freightlink - The Freight Ferry People .

Time to enact a little bit of reciprocity to the leprechauns.

Dublin Port to NI border = 105.9 miles by road. Cost = EUR 70.
Holyhead Port to Port of Dover = 377 miles. Current cost = EUR 11.2.

Let's revise that to a happy united price of brotherhood with our bogtrotting cousins to EUR 570.

Can't say fairer than that!

And still about the same price as the new direct to france ferry trip.

 

[PhotEx]

No doubt there will be a massive campaign about the EU breaking International Law if they try anything like that?

Surely?

 

[Blogg]

Now getting very juicy and political, not a good look at all for Germany, anonymous sources and no data.


This has been flatly denied by Astra Zeneca.

Note that nothing has been said about Germany ordering 30m doses outside of the EU Vaccine APA.

Apart from which, it is all political blame game bullshit as European Commission types try to smear AZ for their own failings.

 

[Dafty duck]

It's getting heated:

Sounds like fighting talk to me.

 

[Sir Arthur]

It wouldn't surprise me at all, as I suspect each manufacturing facility within the EU would require a deailed authorisation, whereas I suspect India's regulatory regime is less demanding (read "protectionist").

See Good manufacturing practice - European Medicines Agency

The funny thing is, unless I missed it, the EMA still hasn't approved the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

But then again, perhaps they won't want it after all:

AstraZeneca denies report vaccine less effective in elderly

 

[Robs dad]

What Does It Take To Be A Greek Presidential Guard?

A half-Greek Yorkshireman has just completed his nine months of conscription in the Greek Army.

www.forces.net

.

"Every conscript guard is paid the same, 8.62 euros a month."
Well at least they get paid handsomely for prancing/marching like that and wearing such an odd combination of uniform.... 8.62 Euros after a whole month of dancing for the tourists...

 

[re-stilly]

The funny thing is, unless I missed it, the EMA still hasn't approved the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

But then again, perhaps they won't want it after all:

AstraZeneca denies report vaccine less effective in elderly

If they don't want it, there are plenty of other places that will.

 

[Alamo]

I have worked for NATO for quite a while and the only French language documents I see are produced from NATO HQ. Even French component commands (Eurocorps, RRC FRA, JFAC FRA, FRA MARFOR and FRA CBRN Bn) produce everything in English.

English is the contemporary Lingua Franca.

French is one of the 2 official NATO languages, at the political level. Operationally it’s English only.

 

[Alamo]

I wouldn't expect anything else from SNP propaganda.

Trying to find my source at the moment - it said English would remain an Official language while everyday Working language would be French and German.
Sorry - that it would be German and French.

The money that would cost , and the hassle it would cause almost all of the remaining members, is typical of the EU’s view of relative importance and as good a demonstration of the need to leave as you could find.

 

[StormsInAfrica]

Zahawi (my MP) currently pushing the concilliatory line on Talk Radio that 'we're not safe until we're all safe' vis the EU's behaviour.

I hope the subtext doesn't read that we're about to get shafted.

 

[PhotEx]

French is one of the 2 official NATO languages, at the political level. Operationally it’s English only.

Its an excellent language for negotiating surrender terms.

 

[Kitmarlowe]

This bit is deeply amusing

 

[dogmeat]

"Every conscript guard is paid the same, 8.62 euros a month."
Well at least they get paid handsomely for prancing/marching like that and wearing such an odd combination of uniform.... 8.62 Euros after a whole month of dancing for the tourists...

Too right, chummy. Yer can't get any Watney's Red Barrel or decent fish 'n chips there neither.

The Council should do summink.