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I found the wikipedia article. Tim Send a noteboard - 13/05/2010 10:53:00 AM
Why didn't they? Did they not have the balls of us and Denmark?

(Incidentally, if every country in the Eurozone had had a binding referendum before joining, I wonder how big it would be... How was public opinion in Belgium in 2000-1?)


I think it was written in when Sweden joined the EU (or whatever it was called?) and that both the UK and Denmark were members before the plans of this reached that stage... So while it would undoubtedly be a question of balls if the issue arose, I doubt they judged it important enough during the negotiations for membership. Alcohol policy was much more important back then. :P


Yeah, that was the Maastricht Treaty of 1992. We secured an opt-out, as did Denmark. You guys joined in 1995 – maybe the EU wasn't allowing opt-outs for new members by that stage.
Vigilantibus non dormientibus jura subveniunt.

—Nous disons en allemand : le guerre, le mort, le lune, alors que 'soleil' et 'amour' sont du sexe féminin : la soleil, la amour. La vie est neutre.

—La vie ? Neutre ? C'est très joli, et surtout très logique.
Turning a blind eye...
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So the list of countries using the euro will grow longer, not shorter... Estonia to join in 2011 Legolas - 12/05/2010 10:51:37 PM 1233 Views
Sounds like a winner Isaac - 12/05/2010 11:07:38 PM 846 Views
You Americans should like Estonia - they're rather neoliberal that way. Legolas - 12/05/2010 11:18:30 PM 1038 Views
Apparently we do Isaac - 13/05/2010 05:34:41 PM 878 Views
I liked the remark one Estonian bankofficial made Bramhodoulos - 12/05/2010 11:38:26 PM 813 Views
Re: I liked the remark one Estonian bankofficial made BlackAdder - 12/05/2010 11:42:37 PM 855 Views
I stand corrected than Bramhodoulos - 12/05/2010 11:45:33 PM 754 Views
I do sometimes wish more Belgians would understand that. Legolas - 12/05/2010 11:52:41 PM 730 Views
Re: I do sometimes wish more Belgians would understand that. BlackAdder - 13/05/2010 12:05:03 AM 753 Views
That would be more convincing if universities promoted more social mobility. Legolas - 13/05/2010 12:11:37 AM 860 Views
Social attitudes take a very long time to change. Tim - 13/05/2010 12:28:09 AM 881 Views
We have need-based scholarships. We could extend them. Legolas - 13/05/2010 12:38:31 AM 774 Views
I guess it depends on exactly what the fees are. Tim - 13/05/2010 11:06:37 AM 869 Views
They're low. Too low. Legolas - 13/05/2010 12:12:29 PM 889 Views
American universities do have entrance exams. Sort of. Macharius - 13/05/2010 02:17:13 PM 885 Views
Those are really too lame to count. Legolas - 13/05/2010 02:21:23 PM 925 Views
Re: Those are really too lame to count. Macharius - 13/05/2010 05:04:25 PM 924 Views
typically the more specialized programs require that LadyLorraine - 13/05/2010 05:53:20 PM 847 Views
Re: Those are really too lame to count. BlackAdder - 13/05/2010 07:32:19 PM 928 Views
Like I indicated, I'm not suggesting it in the American system. Legolas - 13/05/2010 07:53:15 PM 933 Views
meh. Most degrees are useless anyway. AgentOrange - 13/05/2010 01:14:54 AM 759 Views
That could be fixed if there weren't such stigma attached to vocational schools. Ghavrel - 13/05/2010 02:18:40 AM 790 Views
Re: That would be more convincing if universities promoted more social mobility. BlackAdder - 13/05/2010 08:08:16 PM 849 Views
Buying a senator helps. Vodalus - 14/05/2010 02:33:44 AM 790 Views
Re: That would be more convincing if universities promoted more social mobility. Legolas - 14/05/2010 11:48:22 AM 839 Views
Is it as late as university? Or is it a good bit earlier? EDIT: Nevermind. Answered elsewhere. Vodalus - 14/05/2010 05:36:50 PM 960 Views
Oh, it's a lot earlier. Legolas - 14/05/2010 06:03:51 PM 899 Views
Re: Is it as late as university? Or is it a good bit earlier? EDIT: Nevermind. Answered elsewhere. BlackAdder - 14/05/2010 07:57:32 PM 788 Views
Re: That would be more convincing if universities promoted more social mobility. BlackAdder - 14/05/2010 08:02:58 PM 901 Views
Come on. jh - 13/05/2010 10:13:29 AM 918 Views
naw most of them are getting degrees in liberal arts because they like to read book more then work *NM* random thoughts - 13/05/2010 02:01:59 PM 330 Views
You ever been to Estonia? If not, stop speaking. *NM* Lordling - 13/05/2010 10:29:17 AM 458 Views
your funny *NM* random thoughts - 13/05/2010 02:01:06 PM 338 Views
Surely Sweden can say, or could have said, that they wouldn't join till they damn well felt like it? Tim - 12/05/2010 11:39:57 PM 789 Views
Apparently Denmark only got the opt-out after rejecting the Maastricht treaty. Legolas - 12/05/2010 11:47:00 PM 825 Views
Good point: it seems to me no-one cares about being Belgian, only Flemish or Walloon . Tim - 12/05/2010 11:51:27 PM 706 Views
It's slightly more subtle than that. Legolas - 13/05/2010 12:00:29 AM 864 Views
What do you think about this suggestion? Tim - 13/05/2010 12:09:02 AM 846 Views
That has been suggested by many, yeah. Legolas - 13/05/2010 12:28:24 AM 864 Views
But before you make a decision like that... Bramhodoulos - 13/05/2010 08:36:07 AM 845 Views
They can export him to another country which needs a king. Wouldn't be the first time. Tim - 13/05/2010 10:57:59 AM 785 Views
We have a Flemish government, though. Legolas - 13/05/2010 12:22:57 PM 894 Views
Hmm, a pan-European entity getting too big and splitting into Eastern and Western administrations... Tim - 13/05/2010 11:09:51 AM 767 Views
That wasn't entirely what I meant. Legolas - 13/05/2010 12:15:14 PM 802 Views
There is one answer to most of those questions Bramhodoulos - 12/05/2010 11:49:46 PM 733 Views
I love that the rest of you have the euro. Tim - 12/05/2010 11:53:10 PM 724 Views
*waits for the Pound to drop and the UK begging for the euro* *NM* Bramhodoulos - 12/05/2010 11:56:25 PM 405 Views
That would be the worst time to do it. Tim - 13/05/2010 12:05:32 AM 811 Views
Well... that is true. But your exports would be really high. Ghavrel - 13/05/2010 12:11:50 AM 762 Views
Also the best time. snoopcester - 13/05/2010 12:11:53 AM 813 Views
I WIN *NM* Ghavrel - 13/05/2010 12:12:51 AM 346 Views
Bah *NM* snoopcester - 13/05/2010 12:18:48 AM 299 Views
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times... *NM* Tim - 13/05/2010 12:19:32 AM 285 Views
I think on the balance, that's probably better than the opposite, but yeah, neither is ideal. *NM* Legolas - 13/05/2010 12:14:23 AM 376 Views
There is a small problem with that... jh - 13/05/2010 10:21:44 AM 723 Views
I found the wikipedia article. Tim - 13/05/2010 10:53:00 AM 925 Views
WOW WHEN DID THE UK CHANGE THEIR COINS Ghavrel - 13/05/2010 12:10:41 AM 809 Views
2008, apparently. Though I don't think we actually saw them until 2009. Tim - 13/05/2010 12:17:46 AM 839 Views
Oh. Okay. I guess the black is just a reflective thing they're doing for the photo. Ghavrel - 13/05/2010 12:37:24 AM 757 Views
I used to use a ten-pound note to inhale...things. Tom - 13/05/2010 05:54:09 AM 786 Views
You have a thing for Charles Darwin? Tim - 13/05/2010 10:45:14 AM 716 Views
From "Mean Mr. Mustard" - "keeps a ten-bob note up his nose...such a mean old man..." Tom - 13/05/2010 02:36:34 PM 763 Views
In that case I'm going to have to disappoint you. Tim - 13/05/2010 02:54:04 PM 892 Views
I knew that, but I had limited options. Tom - 13/05/2010 03:15:07 PM 869 Views
You could try a €500 note. Tim - 13/05/2010 03:18:11 PM 762 Views
In other news, the sky is blue. Legolas - 13/05/2010 03:33:25 PM 788 Views
I seem to remember reading something in 2002 about Germans paying their monthly rent in cash. Tim - 13/05/2010 03:43:35 PM 868 Views
Hm. Possible. Legolas - 13/05/2010 03:50:31 PM 747 Views
Re: In other news, the sky is blue. BlackAdder - 13/05/2010 07:45:06 PM 859 Views
Sheesh...I was just using, not dealing. Tom - 13/05/2010 03:47:05 PM 773 Views
The thrill of decadence? *NM* Tim - 13/05/2010 03:51:21 PM 327 Views
Ooh...I'm sure THAT will shore up the eurozone... *laughs* Tom - 13/05/2010 05:51:12 AM 809 Views
Agreed Balwer - 13/05/2010 12:20:12 PM 791 Views
Nobody said it would. Legolas - 13/05/2010 12:34:27 PM 787 Views
You know what will save the eurozone ? AgentOrange - 13/05/2010 04:55:06 PM 789 Views
You're a little ray of sunshine, aren't you? *NM* Legolas - 13/05/2010 05:10:48 PM 325 Views
Hey man, I don't want Europe to be the next Japan AgentOrange - 13/05/2010 05:42:26 PM 786 Views
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