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Government must not abuse EU laws
September 22, 2003 12:00 AM
Speaking at the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton, Baroness Sarah Ludford, LibDem Euro-MP for London has called for the Government to stop applying EU laws in a way calculated to alienate British people.
"This Government has a lamentable record of implementing new EU laws. They either increase the burden, such as putting small abattoirs out of business through too much red tape, or strip all the assets and protections from the original text, like making Council taxpayers rather than manufacturers pay for disposal of abandoned cars.
"'Gold-plating' and 'asset-stripping' are bad practice; they deny UK citizens the benefits of EU laws and pollute the debate on Europe."
The government badly implemented EU legislation on old fridges so a mountain developed. Even worse, the End of Life Vehicles Directive has been implemented in the UK by delaying until 2007 making manufacturers responsible, and therefore placing responsibility for disposal of old cars on final owners. Since there is no scrap value - indeed disposal companies charge - most owners abandon their old bangers. This leaves local authorities paying for removal & disposal. The fear is that similar problems will arise over an EU Directive on disposal of electrical & electronic equipment.
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