Rejoiner.UK

Feel safe to swim in the sea with EU rules that keep bathing water clean.

Over half of English beaches had high levels of pollution in 1995, but working with water companies over the last 20 years our water has been cleaned up.

The group Surfers Against Sewage was set up in the UK in 1990 when water companies were dumping sewage directly into the sea causing the surfers to become sick.

Hugo Tagholm, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage says

“Over the last 25 years, EU Directives have undoubtedly helped drive huge improvements in bathing water quality at beaches around much of the UK. Surfers Against Sewage has been at the forefront of campaigning to ensure these Directives offer the strongest possible protection for both people and planet. The Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive and Bathing Water Directive in particular provided Surfers Against Sewage with a powerful legislative framework on which to deliver highly effective water quality campaigns ensuring water companies and regulators delivered, and continue to deliver, cleaner, safer seas for everyone. In 2016, European legislation continues to underpin the next phase of our water quality campaigns to stop marine sewage disposal via coastal combined sewer overflows.”

Working with nuclear isotopes can sound scary but they have many practical uses from doing medical diagnostic scans to treating cancer. Useful isotopes are made in nuclear reactors in Germany and France which are then used by the NHS in the UK.

Euratom continually improves nuclear safety, security and radiation protection to ensure we can get isotopes where they are needed. They also look to the future by supporting British research into low carbon fusion reactors at the JET laboratory in Oxford

Roam like at home!

When using your mobile on holiday in Spain or a sightseeing trip to Rome you don’t pay any additional roaming charges. Whether you are phoning home, texting friends to meet for a drink or using data to download a map; you pay exactly the same amount as you would at home anywhere in the EU.

When you get home you will have no nasty surprises when your bill comes through, so you can relax.

If you believe in promoting peace, freedom, security and justice, you have the core values that make up being part of the EU. Sharing our rich culture and diversity through art and music, promoting scientific and technological progress and creating a competitive market economy with environmental protection.

The 28 members don’t always agree on everything but we share common ideals.

You can have your say on how you want to shape Europe through.

The European Parliament which you directly vote for by electing an MEP.

The European Council which is made up of Heads of Governments, for example the British Prime Minister.

The European Commission which is the UK version of the Civil Service that works for the EU as a whole and does not have any legislative power.

In today’s uncertain world we need that shared strength more than ever - Andrew Parker, Head of MI5, 2018 Berlin.

Protecting you in a dangerous world, European nations share intelligence and counter-terrorism strategies. The Counter Terrorism group focuses on tackling foreign fighters, stopping terrorism financing, removing online terrorist propaganda, catching illegal arms trafficking and providing support for investigations in the EU.

Life can be an unexpected adventure, who knows where it will lead you next. If you find someone special in Europe they can come live in the UK or you can live anywhere in the EU with them.

You have the right to live up to 3 months in a country at which point you must register with that country's authorities to prove that you either have work or means to not burden social services. You will then have the same rights and opportunities as if you were from that country.

Life is made easier by being in the EU, go and live it.

Going away is meant to be fun, but sometimes airlines can let you down.

EU regulations mean that if your flight is cancelled or delayed, it is the airline's responsibility to look after you. You will get food and refreshment if the delay is short, to accommodation if your flight is delayed for the next day. You can also apply for compensation on your ticket if the delay was over two hours and the airline's fault, e.g. not caused by bad weather conditions.

Hopefully, you won’t need any of this but you can be assured that you won't be left stranded.

You can live in any EU country once you have retired and have your pension paid for by your host country.

Tom worked hard all of his life in the UK and decided to retire to a warmer climate. Tom claims his pension through the Spanish government with an agreement from the UK. Tom now relaxes on a beautiful beach drinking sangria…

Erasmus offers opportunities for UK participants to study, work, volunteer, teach and train abroad in Europe. You can learn new skills, develop personally and professionally all while getting valuable international experience.

UK students can study abroad for up to one year in another European university, this will be a highlight on your CV and prepare you for the wider world full of confidence.

We all know what is going to happen to livestock at the end of their lives but we are a nation of animal lovers and treat our animals well. As part of the EU, we have some of the highest levels of animal welfare standards in the world. These rules are obeyed by every European country meaning that animals have to have suitable living conditions, veterinary care, transported safely and finally killed humanely.

We are also proud to produce the best meat in the world, our beef is not mass produced and filled will artificial chemicals on an industrial scale. This protects small farmers and means a better product will reach your plate.

Need to go for a medical appointment because of your pregnancy? You have the right enshrined in law. Employers have a duty to look after you including making sure work is suitably safe for a pregnant woman. Companies are also not allowed to discriminate towards a woman because of her pregnancy or maternity leave.

As a member of the EU, these rules are currently part of UK law. EU law also guarantees women a minimum of 14 weeks of maternity leave. The UK has decided to go above the minimum and allow up to 52 weeks. EU rules often set sensible minimum requirements allowing the national government to make their own rules.

Criminals can cross borders so it is important that they cannot escape justice. Europol shares policing information between all member states and improves communication between individual police forces.

If someone commits a crime in London they can be tracked as they flee to France and an arrest made there. The European Arrest Warrant is an arrangement where criminals are quickly caught in any European country and taken back to the country where the offence took place so they can face trial.

The large size of Europol also allows them to tackle many international crimes such as organized crime, cyber-crime, and terrorism.

Washing machines, phones, cars, ovens, and light bulbs are just a few things that seem to burn out before their time. Manufacturers have been known to purposely design products to fail just after the warranty expires and make it impossible to simply replace the broken part.

Large companies make it impossible for you or the local repairman on the high street to fix your product. They withhold designs and parts, forcing you to re-buy rather than fix. This means you are out of pocket and there are fewer jobs locally. This is also bad for the environment as old items have to be disposed of and new items built and shipped.

The EU represents a lot of consumers and has the power to force manufacturers to give longer warranties and open up their designs for repair shops. This is the advantage of being in a large trading block, corporations have to listen.

It is important that people are qualified to do their job, being part of the EU means that if you qualify in the UK you are qualified all across the EU. This means you will not have to do training and exams again if you want to work abroad.

This is very useful for UK lorry drivers who are trained to operate large vehicles. Their professional qualification in the UK allows them to drive on French roads. Deliveries from UK companies can cross borders without having to change drivers or the British driver having to provide extra paperwork.

The UK car industry has seen its ups and downs in the last thirty years but Nissan has been a part of Sunderland since 1981. The factory has become the UK biggest car manufacturer providing many jobs for locals working at the factory to supporting the wider community.

The factory’s success has been down to the hard work of British workers but helped by the ability to bring parts into the factory and cars out very quickly. Just In Time (JIT) creates incredibly efficient factories with low downtime. Parts which are not made in the UK can be ordered and delivered with minimum paperwork across EU borders, sometimes as quick as 30 minutes.

The cars can then be quickly shipped and sold all over the whole of Europe and with many countries in the world because of the zero-tariff free trade deals that come with being a member of the EU.

No two farms are the same but everyone deserves to make a living. Subsidies from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) paid through The Basic Payment Scheme ( BPS ) in the UK, protect farmers from a bad harvest.

UK farmers are protected by international tariffs and higher food standards, stopping large American farms undercutting our farmers. Farmers also conserve our countryside and play an important role in maintaining food security meaning we are not reliant on others for our food.

Subsidies in the UK: UK farmers received 2.4 billion pounds in direct payments in a year and have had access to 4 billion pounds for rural development projects between 2014 to 2020.

British astronaut Tim Peake took this stunning photo of the UK having trained at ESA.

The European Space Agency (ESA) and the EU have close ties. Many projects are funded by the EU, spreading the cost amongst the nations. EU rules also allow easy collaboration between European countries, sharing skills and scientific components.

The EU Galileo project will give you quicker and more accurate GPS so that you can get around easier. Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (UK) built GIOVE-A as part of the Galileo satellite and it was a complete success. The satellite is currently orbiting Earth, transmitting data right now.

You want to know that the toys you are giving your children are safe and free from any dangerous chemicals. All product within the EU have to be safety certified with the CE mark, but toys are more heavily regulated. Chemicals that are susceptible to cause cancer, change genetic information, harm fertility or harm an unborn child is strictly controlled to protect children. You can also no longer have heavy elements, so gone are the days of lead paint on toys.

This is also good for businesses as there is one standard for the whole of the EU. If you create a toy in Manchester that conforms to the CE toy safety standard you can sell that toy anywhere in Europe. This cuts down on red tape and additional paperwork.

The UK has been highly influential in improving safety standards across the EU. The British Kite mark became the CE mark. This means that children all over Europe benefit from us leading the EU, something we can be proud of.

If we have different standards to the EU, manufacturers in the UK will have to pay extra to re-tested their products to make sure they pass the CE mark. This will make their product more expensive when selling in the EU.

New vacuum cleaners use much less electricity saving you money on your bills. They use smaller, quieter, lighter and more efficient motors linked with better design of floor attachments to lift as much dust as the old electricity-hungry models.

EU rules set minimum durability requirements for the motor and hose of vacuum cleaners, so your new cleaner will also last longer. Vacuums are sold with standardised labels that rate their energy efficiency and how good they are at collecting dust so you know what you are getting.

This is great news for the environment saving 20 TWh annually, for context a brand new gas-fired electricity plant creates 28 TWh annually. This saving is gained because everyone in Europe will be using an energy efficient vacuum.

In the UK we love the NHS, it is one of our greatest achievements. Unfortunately, with an ageing population and massive cuts to funding, there is a shortage of doctors and nurses.

There are 62,000 EU nationals working in the NHS, nurses and doctors doing a tremendous job giving high-quality care. Within the EU they feel confident and comfortable living in the UK, it makes it easy for them to settle down and get on with their job. There is no need for visas when friends come to visit and they can build a family in the UK.

Hospitals, police, schools, roads and the armed services are all paid through taxation. Large corporations benefit from having an educated healthy workforce but don’t believe they should have to pay their fair share of tax. They use loopholes to set up shell companies and move money around on paper until the money magically disappears into an offshore tax haven.

On the 1st January 2019 The EU brings in the Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive as a legal requirement which means that all EU member states must share details of all tax schemes every three months. They would be displayed in a central directory of avoidance schemes.

The Directive brings five legally-binding anti-abuse measures that tackle major loopholes that companies use to avoid paying tax:

1. Shift the profits to dependent companies in low-tax countries.

2. A company based in the EU sets up a subsidiary in a tax haven country outside the EU which provides a loan back to the company or another subsidiary based in the EU. The EU-based company makes high interest, tax-deductible payments back.

3. Large companies spend a lot of time and energy developing new products. Companies based in the EU can develop a promising new product and move it to a no-tax country before it gets finalized. That way, the company pays less tax on the profits in the EU.

4. An EU-based company invests in another company based in a tax-haven outside the EU. Dividends are in turn paid back to the EU-based company, where Member States treat them as having already been properly taxed in the third country where they have not been taxed.

5. Companies engaged in aggressive tax planning continue to try and find ways of bypassing rules and finding loopholes in tax laws.

By closing these loopholes, the EU aims to reduce the ability of corporations to hide the money and this means that we can invest in better hospitals, roads and schools. By leaving the EU, the UK would keep helping corporations to hide the money that would have gone to hospitals, schools and other social benefits.

Gibraltar is an overseas territory under jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United Kingdom. It has a land border with Spain in the north and it is home to over 30,000 people with 98% wanting Gibraltar to stay British, despite the Spanish Government’s claims that it should be part of Spain. In the past, the tension between the two made it difficult to cross the border. As both Spain and Britain are in the EU the Gibraltar border is kept open, lowering the tension and increasing cooperation.

Gibraltar is also heavily invested in financial services and sell these services into the EU, benefiting from EU membership. The EU also invests in Gibraltar, there are currently a total of 4 EU Programmes that are in operation:

1+2) Two European Territorial Cooperation Programmes, which works on strengthening cross-border cooperation through joint local initiatives.

3. European Regional Development Fund which enhances the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises.

4. European Social Fund which focuses on promoting sustainable & quality employment, supporting labour mobility and investing in education.

Gibraltar voted 96% to remain in the European Union but now they face an uncertain future.

Penguins have a good life on the Falkland Islands but they are not without challenges. Conservationists look after the penguins from risks such as egg poaching, fishing gear and avian illnesses. This work is funded by the EU as part of an environmental development plan. This is good for the penguins and good for tourism on the Falkland Islands.

Penguins are not the only ones who benefit from being part of the EU on these amazing islands. Many people live remotely and can become isolated in farms away from the island’s capital Stanley, in particular the elderly. As the roads in rural areas tend to be gravel or mud tracks it makes getting around hard and stops farmers delivering their goods in the tougher months. Planes help locals and tourists to get around, and are particularly important in medical emergencies as there is only one major hospital on the Falklands but they are getting old and need investment.

The EU’s rural development plan gives funding to the Falklands to improve the roads and improve the Aerodromes and Aeroplanes. This stops people from becoming isolated and provides a boost to the rural economy with increased tourism.

We all recognise a Cornish pasty when we see one. The famous D shape with the crimping on the edge, filled with chunky ingredients. EU Protected Designation of Origin rules means that they can only be made in Cornwall. This ruling affects every country in the EU and even our trading partners that we have treaties with like Australia and America. This protects local jobs as no one outside of Cornwall can undercut us by making poor imitations of the product.

When you buy a Cornish pasty it will be 100% authentic with quality ingredients.

Seafood depends on its freshness if you are exporting you don’t want it to be held up at the border. The UK is part of the single market so there are no delays at ports and their products can be on a plate somewhere in Europe on the same day as it was caught. 90% of Welsh shellfish are sold to countries in the EU and are worth around £40 million to the UK economy. If there were any delays at the ports the quality of the product would not be as good, which would reduce the price. Welsh fishermen benefit by being members of the customs union and single market.

Shellfish are one of the most lucrative catches for Scottish fishermen, in 2016 shellfish accounted for £166 million, or 30 percent of the catch value of all Scottish fishing. Shellfish don’t have a big market at home but are transported fresh across the border to the continent where they command a premium price.

The price the fishermen receive depends on the freshness of the product, any hold up on the border means their catch is not worth as much. Within the European Union and the single market trucks carrying Scottish goods go across the border without delay with zero tariffs on all of their produce. There is no additional paperwork or red tape no matter where in Europe they are selling to and there is no need to hire a costly specialist to handle exports meaning more money goes back to the fishermen.

The National Grid in the UK works hard to match supply and demand to ensure the lights stay on. At halftime at the World Cup or the end or a TV soap millions of Brits switch on their kettles causing a huge spike in electricity use. The National Grid has a few options when power spikes occur, they can start up an expensive reserve power station, run stored energy water turbines, or buy excess electricity from France or the Netherlands.

Britain is connected to the continent through underground electricity cables. This allows us to keep a stable power supply without the need to turn on power stations. Europe can also buy Britain’s excess electricity, making electricity cheaper for everyone. Our interconnectivity is great for lower electricity prices and for the environment as we can run fewer power stations.

Renewable energy is more useful when you can balance power production over large areas. Britain is a leader in wind energy, however wind turbines produce more electricity on windy days and less on still days. We can sell the excess electricity elsewhere during windy days and then buy from Spain cheap solar energy during still days. This will be a key strategy against climate change and reducing harmful pollutants in our air.

Sharing electricity will make it cheaper for everyone as well as reducing pollution. It is a win-win for everyone.

The EU project called PEACE. Words by Jason Hunter

Its is a cross-border programme covering Northern Ireland and the six border counties of Ireland, was launched in 1995 as a result of the EU’s desire to respond positively to new opportunities in the Northern Ireland peace process. Since 1995, three phases have been completed with funding from both EU and national governments: PEACE I (1995-99) (€667m); PEACE II (2000-06) (€995m); and PEACE III (2007-13) (€333m). PEACE IV will run from 2014-20, with EU funding of roughly €200m.

While PEACE I focused on addressing the immediate legacy of conflict, PEACE II and PEACE III focused on community reconciliation and economic development. According to NI Statistic and Research Agency (NISRA), there were 868,420 participants in PEACE II, participating in cross-border activities and reconciliation projects as well as training and development activities. One hundred thousand, seven hundred and sixty-seven people gained qualifications as a result of the programme and 77,652 entered or progressed in employment, education and training.

Examples of projects include the Creggan Micro Enterprise Centre in Londonderry, which transformed a redundant factory in a community faced with multiple disadvantage and deprivation into a business development center that now houses three micro-enterprises and has helped 20 unemployed people into employment.

There is also Project Kelvin, a high-speed underwater cable that provides very fast and direct communications link from eight Northern Ireland locations and five Republic of Ireland locations to North America.

The Centre for Cross Border Studies has described the PEACE programme as ‘an exemplary case for the objective of the reduction of social and economic disparities between European Regions; its exposure to these sources of European funding has proved pivotal in addressing its particular social and economic needs’.

There have been some amazing British movies over the years which we have enjoyed at home or the cinema. The creative industries are the fastest growing sector of the economy, already returning £92bn in GVA (gross value added) and employing two million people. Films are difficult to get funding for, the British Film Institute has described EU funding as playing a significant role in this success having invested £300 million over the last 10 years with more pledged.

Britain has a lot of overseas territories such as Anguilla, a beautiful island in the Caribbean. Anguilla has a lot of unique wildlife that needs protecting such as the sea turtle. sea turtles are threatened by dangers such as entanglement in fishing gear, illegal trade, pollution and plastics.

The EU has dedicated 400,000 Euros over three years to projects to help the sea turtle. The projects will assess foraging and breeding areas, population status and threats of sea turtles as well as formulate a mitigation plan. It aims to support the implementation of conservation actions by developing a recovery action plan and an eco-tour guide certification programme. National and international awareness and support for sea turtle and coastal conservation will be increased by educating local staff and the general public on the biology and conservation of sea turtles, sea turtle tracking and monitoring and marine spatial planning and data analysis.

The RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) organization saves lives at sea, heading out in terrible conditions doing an incredibly difficult job.

To do this job the dedicated volunteers are heavily trained to enable them to do the job safely. The Erasmus+ exchange programme allows European lifeboat volunteers to come to the UK to train and UK volunteers to train in Europe. This allows volunteers to train in different conditions and with different equipment taking home new skills that makes them better at their job.

Callum Robinson has been on the crew of his local lifeboat centre in Rhyl for over 10 years. He was inspired to join by his father who volunteered at the station before he was born. Callum was one of a group of RNLI volunteers to travel to Oslo in Norway through an Erasmus+ funded Mobility project. Today he works on the national flood rescue team in addition to serving the crew at Rhyl Lifeboat Station – one of the busiest stations in Wales for emergency call outs. He said: “I found the exchange extremely valuable. Not only did I learn new skills but how to use the equipment we already have in more effective ways. There is a lot of training involved for volunteers – from basic things like standing in the boat in extreme weather to using all the different equipment.”

The EU also funds the RNLI through various grants such as money for decommissioning boats and protecting the environment.

Climate change is the biggest problem facing all of us, we have seen the effect of climate change this summer with soaring temperatures in the UK and on the continent with wildfires starting in Greece. Climate change is also melting the icebergs around the North Pole and Greenland making life harder for animals like Polar bears. Burning fossil fuels is also bad for our health and has been linked to breathing problems such as asthma.

The EU wants to lead in low carbon technologies to slow climate change. The EU plans to cut emissions by 40% by 2030 and be completely carbon neutral by 2050. Reducing carbon can be done with existing technologies such as solar and wind turbines and switching to more energy efficient products such as washing machines, lighting and electric cars. Becoming leaders in this technology will mean we can export our expertise to the rest of the world while having to import less oil and gas creating energy security for our country.

Bees pollinate ¾ of all crops and then produce delicious honey, they are hugely important us and the environment. Unfortunately there has been a large decline in the number of bees and wild pollinating insects, this has been largely blamed on modern insecticides.

Insecticides containing neonicotinoids have been completely banned all over Europe after studies showing bees consuming one pesticide suffered an 85% loss in the number of queens their nests produced, while another study showed a doubling in "disappeared" bees. Bee populations will continue to be monitored and it is hoped bee numbers will improve.

People have been fighting for gay rights for a long time and the right to marry in the UK was as a great moment for the LGBT community. The EU has created laws so employers cannot discriminate on the grounds of sexuality at work and more recently ruled that any laws that apply to spouses are not related to the gender of the spouse, giving same-sex couples equal rights. These laws protect LGBT rights all over Europe and really help in less progressive countries where they do not have the right to marry.

Lost your passport, a victim of a crime or any other emergency situation in any country around the world? If there is no British embassy in that country as an EU citizen you can go to any EU country’s embassy and receive help.

Life is better when we all help each other out.

Puffin numbers have sadly been going down in recent years, having conservationist worried. Overfishing makes it harder for the sea birds to hunt and bad weather possibly linked to climate change has reduced the number of days a bird can be out to sea.

Researchers in Scotland have been trying to understand the puffin better by attaching small GPS trackers on to the birds. Using this data, areas where puffins go foraging can be mapped and turned into Special Protected Areas (SPA) as required by The European Commission's Birds Directive. These areas are protected from overfishing and human disruption to give the birds a fair chance.

Puffins have also been helped by the EU over 2000 miles away in the overseas territories of Saint Pierre and Miquelon. They have also been tracked with the help of EU funding and protections added to important breeding areas around their island.

Nant Gwrtheyrn had fallen into disrepair when the quarry was shut down. Many of the beautiful stone buildings were falling into ruins as the community left the area in search of work. Through local and EU funding Nant Gwrtheyrn has had a new lease of life. It is now home to the National Welsh Language and Heritage Centre, people now come from all over the world to learn the Welsh language and learn about Welsh culture. The beautiful countryside has also been opened for tourism and weddings, allowing many other businesses to thrive.

The funds have created opportunities in an area where there were very few.

"The cultural centre has been a huge success in an area of limited economic activity. It is now a major employer and contributor to the local economy, and known internationally as a visitor attraction and promoter of the Welsh language and culture." Jim O’Rourke, Nant Gwrtheyrn project manager.

Why people get food allergies is not fully understood and an allergy to a certain food can be developed at any age. Food allergies are a serious problem and can sadly be fatal in certain cases. To protect people with allergies the EU has created clear labelling laws for all packaged products. The law means that all ingredients are listed and the top 14 allergens are highlighted.

For non-pre-packaged foods like fresh sandwiches and restaurant foods, the UK can make its own rules on what needs to be displayed. The EU and the UK recommend labelling the top 14 allergens on all packaging and menus.

Children love playing games and will happily click away at phones and tablets for hours. Some parents have been shocked when they discover that their children have also been clicking in-app purchases, sometimes costing the parent hundreds of pounds.

The EU thought this practice was wrong, especially as the application had often been marked as free, so they formally asked Apple and Google to make sure that:

• Games advertised as 'free' do not mislead consumers about the true costs involved.

• Games do not contain direct incitement to buy items.

• Consumers are clearly informed about the payment arrangements and are not debited without their explicit consent.

• Traders should provide an email address so that consumers can contact them in case of queries or complaints.

Google took up the challenge by removing the word free when there are in-app purchases and created guidelines for app developers to stop encouraging children to click on in-app purchases. Google also made payments need to be authorised for every in-app purchase to stop huge unwanted bills turning up on your doorstep. Sadly Apple have so far not changed their system, which may involve future legislation by the EU.

Fishing is a key industry in Plymouth but is also one of the most dangerous. A project was setup that involved fishermen and the emergency services to create a coordinated approach for training and equipment to make it easier to find fishermen out at sea. Life jackets and training have been given to fishermen with a grant of £77,000 from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and the Maritime Management Organisation as part of the #wearitforthem campaign to save lives at sea.

There have been calls to extend this scheme to other parts of the country.

A new EU-Singapore trade deal signed on October 19th 2018 opens up new opportunities for British producers, workers, farmers and consumers. Tariffs between the two countries have been removed for most products making it cheaper for you to buy from Singapore and enabling British businesses to sell their product cheaper in Singapore. Customs have also been simplified meaning less expensive red tape for British businesses saving money on bureaucracy.

The deal opens up the market for services like telecommunications, environmental services and engineering. The deal also ensures the highest standards of labour, safety, environmental and consumer protection, as well as strengthening joint actions on sustainable development and climate change.

All this is possible because of the EU’s negotiating power representing 520 million consumers in the world's most successful single market. Once Britain leaves the EU we will no longer have this deal and will have to negotiate a new deal representing 67 million consumers, the deal will take many years leaving British businesses at a huge disadvantage compared with the rest of the EU.

Microplastics are very small particles of plastic material, they are deliberately manufactured and added to products such as exfoliating beads in facial or body scrubs. Once released into the environment, they may be accumulated by animals, including fish and shellfish and consequently consumed as food by consumers. Microplastics have also been shown to naturally absorb toxins from the environment, creating health problems in animals.

In 2018 the UK led the way by banning microplastics in face washes, body scrubs and toothpaste; this is a great step in the right direction. The EU ban will go further, also banning microplastics in commercial products such as detergents, paints and abrasive blasting. The ban would reduce microplastic pollution by 36,000 tonnes a year.

Working together as the EU we can make big changes to save the environment and force manufacturers to create environmentally friendlier products.

Bristol City Council received £22m of EU funding from 2005–2015. The city’s two universities receive over £20m a year from EU sources and the European Investment Bank has enabled innovative projects such as Bristol Energy, our local energy production and distribution company.

The EU’s ELENA program which Bristol has been a part of since 2012 helps Bristol become a low carbon city. As part of this program, funding has been provided to improve the energy efficiency of over 6000 homes with better insulation and heating improvements. Solar panels and wood fuelled heating have been installed in over 7000 place and heating networks where multiple buildings were heated have been improved with new efficient boilers. The research from the steps taken by Bristol will push other cities to follow suit and will help local businesses from solar panel installers to builders putting in insulation.

ClairCity gets Bristol citizens to lead in air pollution reduction. The project aims to raise awareness of air pollution and through crowd led initiatives to reduce the pollution in the city. This may include promoting green energy, better public transport or getting out on your bicycle with new Systran routes having also been funded by the EU.

Discover how Bristol has benefitted by being in the EU myeu.uk Bristol

Wales currently receives around £680 million per year in EU funding, considerably more per person than any of the devolved nations and English regions. The EU funds multiple projects around Cardiff from major transport initiatives, University research projects and area regeneration.

One project worth £2 million was given the regeneration of Butetown a former derelict dock area south of Cardiff city. The funds were used with money from local government to redevelop a shopping parade, community hub, health centre and homes.

In another project, £119m of EU funding was secured in 2018 for South Wales Metro infrastructure work. This will finance infrastructure enhancement to enable services on lines around Cardiff to be doubled from two to four per hour.

Discover how Cardiff has benefitted by being in the EU myeu.uk Cardiff

There are no guarantees that this funding will continue after Brexit. Cardiff University has called for Brexit to be delayed for two more years because of the loss of cutting edge research taking place in the city.

European funds in Glasgow have been used to improve social mobility, keeping people fit and to educate the next generation. Glasgow University has had numerous projects funded by the EU, too many to mention, the world famous gravitational waves discovery, considered a huge leap in scientific research was co-led by a team from Glasgow. The M8, M73, M74 upgrade was also funded partly through a £175m loan from the EU’s European Investment Bank.

Discover how Glasgow has benefitted by being in the EU myeu.uk Glasgow

Often you will be told that EU money is our money anyway, in a way they are right, as we are the EU and the UK has led the way in funding underdeveloped areas within the EU, places that are ignored by the national governments, particularly rural areas. Government estimates also show that every £1 spent on EU membership we get £19 back, so all these buildings and initiatives are effectively free having been paid from the economic benefits of being a member of the EU. There is no guarantee that funding will continue after we leave the EU, especially with the estimated hit to the UK economy.

Discover how Manchester has benefitted by being in the EU myeu.uk Manchester

Liverpool has received around £1.7 Billion in EU investment transforming the city with more money allocated for the city. The money has gone into iconic buildings seen around the city and into businesses, universities and employment. If you live in Liverpool you have benefited from the UK as a member of the EU.

One major initiative funded by the EU helps startup companies, creating new opportunities in the city and sustainable jobs. The Enterprise Hub coordinates and simplifies the business start-up support available across the Liverpool City Region. Elaine Bowker, Principal and Chief Executive of The City of Liverpool College describes the importance of start-ups to Liverpool “Start-up businesses are an essential economic driver for the region and a vibrant entrepreneurial sector is a key indicator of a healthy regional economy.”

Another project, the Single Parent Employment Pathway trains single parents with the skills to help them get back into the workplace. Support is tailored to the needs of the participant and is followed by a two-week placement at a top UK employer, including Marks and Spencer and Royal Mail.

You can see many of the projects that the EU has put funding to here myeu.uk Liverpool

Often you will be told that EU money is our money anyway, in a way they are right, as we are the EU and the UK has led the way in funding underdeveloped areas within the EU, places that are ignored by the national governments, particularly rural areas. Government estimates also show that every £1 spent on EU membership we get £19 back, so all these buildings and initiatives are effectively free having been paid from the economic benefits of being a member of the EU. There is no guarantee that funding will continue after we leave the EU, especially with the estimated hit to the UK economy.

Birmingham has received almost £1 Billion in EU investment transforming the city. The money has gone into iconic buildings seen around the city and into businesses, universities and employment. If you live in Birmingham you have benefited from the UK as a member of the EU.

One major initiative funded by the EU helped reduce youth unemployment. Birmingham has the highest youth unemployment in any city in the UK despite it being the second city. The fund aims to get 16,000 young people into work.

Another project implemented with EU funds was helping after the collapse of MG Rover in 2005 which created 6,000 redundancies. £176 million from EU emergency funds was used to help find employment for workers who had lost their jobs through no fault of their own.

You can see many of the projects that the EU has put funding to here myeu.uk Birmingham

Often you will be told that EU money is our money anyway, in a way they are right, as we are the EU and the UK has led the way in funding underdeveloped areas within the EU, places that are ignored by the national governments, particularly rural areas. Government estimates also show that every £1 spent on EU membership we get £19 back, so all these buildings and initiatives are effectively free having been paid from the economic benefits of being a member of the EU. There is no guarantee that funding will continue after we leave the EU, especially with the estimated hit to the UK economy.

Rachel in Hertfordshire makes bespoke wedding bouquets made from buttons and ribbons. She has customers all over the country and occasionally she gets orders from France and Germany. Thanks to the Single Market she can sell her bouquets anywhere in Europe like she would in the UK without extra fees. Her wedding gifts cross borders quickly meaning we end up with happy brides.

British supermarkets are full of exciting product from around the EU, carried across borders with a minimum of delay. From bottles of dark Irish Guinness, flavourful Spanish Chorizo or fresh Cypriot Halloumi our lives are made more interesting by having access to a wide range of products.

After years of war in Europe, European leaders came together to build peace from the ruins led by Churchill.

In his own words

We hope to see a Europe where men of every country will think as much of being a European as of belonging to their native land, and that without losing any of their love and loyalty of their birthplace.

We hope wherever they go in this wide domain, to which we set no limits in the European Continent, they will truly feel "Here I am at home. I am a citizen of this country too".

It is important that no community is left behind. If you live in a rural community in the UK you will have benefitted from EU development plans and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

The UK government as part of the EU drew up a rural development programme based on local needs.

The programme focuses on:

• Sharing knowledge and innovation in agriculture, forestry and rural areas.
• Promoting innovative farm technologies and sustainable forest management.
• Animal welfare and risk management in agriculture.
• Restoring, preserving and enhancing the countryside.
• Helping rural communities move to a greener low-carbon and climate-resilient economy.
• Creating work for local people from farmers to shopkeepers.

The harmonization of rules across the EU has made it easy for you to take your dog, cat or ferret to enjoy freedom of movement in the Union. Your pet just needs to be vaccinated and microchipped, then they can join you on the beaches in Spain, the fields of France or the small cobbled streets of Italy.

What are you waiting for, go explore!

The EU represents 28 economies when negotiating a trade deal making it the second largest market in the world. Other countries want access to our market, and this allows our negotiators to get a great deal.

British firms faced trade barriers when exporting to Japan which makes it hard for them to compete. Now the barriers are gone allowing UK companies to sell their products to Japan bringing profits back home.

British farmers are big winners in this deal as it allows beef exports to increase substantially to Japan.

If you are a British musician, actor, poet you can play anywhere in Europe at short notice. Getting through customs with your equipment is now easy, with no need for carnets to check your amplifier in and out of a country and visa free travel. This allows you to set up gigs at short notice and to travel freely.

If you are a lover of the arts, whether you are a German metal fan, French Classical lover or Spanish flamenco aficionado you can get their culture on your doorstep. More great nights out with a difference and festivals full of your favourite artists.

Too often this world is stacked in favour of the big guy, they get special deals and get away with things the small guy would be in serious trouble for. Do you believe everyone should have an equal playing field when doing business?

Apple was being allowed to get away without paying taxes until the EU stepped in and forced them to pay up. These taxes go back into paying for schools, hospitals, and police. Apple benefits from this investment in public infrastructure but does not believe they should pay their fair share.

Cornwall is a beautiful place to visit in the UK but unfortunately, it has seen a decline in its traditional industries and people living there have fewer opportunities. The Rural Development Fund set up by the EU, helps communities like this to open up new opportunities.

The Eden Project is an amazing place, it has two huge biodomes full of plants that are collected from many diverse climates and environments. It is one of the largest tourist attractions in the area employing 400 locals and has added an estimated £1 billion to the Cornish economy.

The project was partly funded by the EU with Southwest Regional Development Agency (some £50 million between them, including £26 million towards capital funding from the EU) and £20 million of commercial loans.

We all want to breathe clean, fresh air but modern life is full of pollutants. Cars, planes and industry give off tiny particles that end up deep in our lungs. The EU, working with the UK Government monitors pollution all over Britain. If the pollution becomes unacceptably high, risking our health, schemes must be put in place to reduce the number of bad particulates we take in.

Unfortunately, London has seen an extremely high level of pollution and European laws have been used to push local authorities into action so everyone can enjoy safe air to breathe.

Weekend break? Road trip with friends? Long vacation on the beach? Skiing in the mountains? Whatever you want to do, you can just get up and go. There is no need to apply for a visa and there are no hidden costs. You are allowed to stay up to 3 months in any EU country as a right of being an EU citizen.

So what are you waiting for?

Technological breakthroughs improve our lives from longer lasting batteries, sharper televisions and new treatments for diseases. Scientific advancements start in research laboratories in universities or private facilities, often years of work are put in before they become commercial products. The research is often publicly funded through government grants but if you wanted to read the results you have to pay up to £30 as private publishers lock them behind a paywall.

This holds back research and innovation, slowing down improvements in our lives. European countries are getting together, including the UK, to ensure that all publicly funded research is available for free as soon as it is published. The plan is to get all of the £7.5 billion worth of research to be available for reading, by anyone, for free by 2020. Currently only 20% is available, it is an ambitious target but has strong political backing within the EU.

Small changes can make big differences, one person changing to a more energy efficient bulb makes very little difference but millions of people changing to more efficient technologies such as LED bulbs will drastically reduce energy consumption and help fight climate change.

To help consumers make an informed choice for them the EU has created a mandatory labelling system on all lighting products that clearly shows the energy efficiency of the product. This helps you save money on electricity bills and under EU regulations the bulbs must also warm-up within a reasonable time and have a reasonable lifetime before they break.

Electricity generation in the UK peaked around 2005, but generation per person is now back down to the level of 1984 (around 5 megawatt hours per capita) through the use of energy efficient products, cutting energy demand by 103 TWh

Millions of people in the UK tuned into David Attenborough's documentary Blue Planet and were horrified by the amount of plastic pollution in the ocean. People in the UK got in touch with their politicians and told them to solve this problem and the UK government promised to do something.

This influence from the UK made it to the EU parliament and Members of the European Parliament, including British ones, have voted to ban plastic straws, cotton swabs, disposable plastic plates and cutlery by 2021 and 90% of plastic bottle recycled by 2025.

Cooperating and leading in the EU we can make huge changes to the world, improving the environment and people’s lives. It is unclear if this rule will make it into UK law or if the UK will have a similar law after we leave the EU.

Flood, drought and storms can destroy homes and ruin lives. The UK in 2016 widespread flooding across Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire, with dozens of homes affected and many people having to be evacuated to emergency shelters by the fire brigade using boats, particularly in Poynton. The EU has set up a fund to be able to quickly help local efforts to fight against natural disaster and rebuild after the event.

Holidays should be fun but occasionally disaster strikes and you need to seek emergency treatment. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) gives you the right to access state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland.

The EHIC covers treatment that is medically necessary until your planned return home. Treatment should be provided on the same basis as it would to a resident of that country, either at a reduced cost or, in many cases, free of charge.

For example, in some countries, patients are expected to directly contribute a percentage towards the cost of their state-provided treatment. This is known as a patient co-payment. If you receive treatment under this type of healthcare system, you are expected to pay the same co-payment charge as a patient from that country.

Want to see what the EHIC card has done to help people? Search #EHIC on twitter.

Here are a couple more.

While living in London young and healthy I went to visit family in Munich but ended up in the ER with a heart emergency instead of a beer garden.I was well taken care of in a German hospital thanks to my EHIC.

I was treated for a minor injury by the Austrian Health system. All the process was seamless, just had to show the #EHIC. I felt at home, respected as a patient, no payment at point of care, affordable medicines. This is the #EU standard and is amazing