What People Get Wrong About EU Bureaucracy

One of the things Brexiteers keep ranting about is unelected bureaucrats in Brussels. But it's all smoke and mirror designed to deliberately mislead the unwary. In this video, I explain the role of the EU bureaucrats and how they are not different to those in the UK.

[PanglossDr]

I represented the UK in Brussels for 3 years on Science and Technology matters. I therefore have a good understanding of the 'unelected bureaucrats', with whom I worked. I have also worked in my career wit many Irish and British civil servants. The main point I would make is that the Brussels 'Civil Servants' were so much more competent, efficient, better educated, just better in every respect.

[jarkkoleppa]

I remember a "Spitting Image" sketch from the 80's, "guide for new british meps".
"First you go to Brussels. There you will find out that the European Parliament is in Strassbourg"

[ChristianIce]

As far as I know, when people say "Unelected Bureaucrats" they refer to the European Commision.
The fact that the european commision goes through *three* different democratic votes, seems to be irrelevant to some.
Maybe in EU we should have some "Lords" passing titles through bloodline, that way brexiteers would not object.

[Mysterios]

as a lawyer, what you notice is when a law was written by politicians, or where changes were demanded that were not filtered by a lawyer. These laws are clunky, often neglect the systems with which any legal professional is used to interpret the law, and are just a pain. Also, they can easily have unpredictable outcomes when a law suddenly has an effect down the line on a different part of the legal body. It takes time, research and dedication to draft a proper law. If you want to draft a law, it is not even enough to just have legal training, and maybe even experience in formulating law, you need time to familiarize yourself with the situation that the law should be made about, you have to formulate it, than go into research how the law will intigrate into the legal system without collision on other parts of the system, and only if everything fits nice and sound, the law is good. If any of this is neglected, it is just a mess.

[adamnilsson]

Phil! i would love you to talk to Graham on his three blokes in a pub. you are doing an outstanding job! watching every video, and thoroughly enjoying each one. Keep up the great work!

[lvoldum]

In addition: the Commission (the "bureaucrats") consists of 1 member per member state (the UK member being Julian King). These members are suggested by their own country, the President of the Commission is suggested by the elected Council, and the Commission as a team, including President, must be approved by the elected Parliament and then appointed by the elected Council. They are accountable to the Council and the Parliament and can in fact be "fired" by the Parliament.

Seems that there is even a layer more of democracy here than in most countries' civil service ;)

[AweMjolnir]

I wish this was televised before the referendum

[adamb]

EU, 28 countries 33, 000 "unelected bureaucrats." UK over 400, 000 "unelected bureaucrats."

[Alfadrottning]

Sadly though, no matter how much you try to explain it .. you only reach those that already KNOW all that. Those that voted "leave" and have been told to be angry ... will never learn those things. They want to be angry at someone.

[Brian.Heffernan]

Hi Phil
Really enjoy your shows
Thanks
Brian

[alanharwood]

This channel is consistently informative and entertaining .... Thanks for your efforts.

[sarowie]

If you britsh love you democracy so much: How about the House of Lords?

[philsterthephilster]

From what I can gather- and from reading typical Brexiter bollox, Brexiters seem to think that they should have the rights to elect everybody. I mean that they think they should elect every MEP of every EU country. They think they should elect the MEP's of countries they wouldn't be able to even name.

[saltydagger]

Hey, my name is Jana and I like listening to politics.

[gedizaksit]

You insult 10 year olds by comparing them to politicians.

[Locomotion-uzly]

It is really simple and anyone with the slightest understanding about the difference between a Westminster-model parliamentary system and a continental-model parliamentary system understands it. In the EU only the UK, Ireland and Malta follow the Westminster system. All the other member states adhere to the continental system, in which the members of the government (the ministers and deputy ministers) ARE NOT! members of the parliament. In fact the Westminster system breaches the principle of division of the powers of the state between a legislative, an executive and a judicial branch, which is a fundament of modern democracy. This takes away one of the main safeguards of the parliamentary system, in which a popularly elected representatives of the people provide control over the actions of the government. So Theresa May as the leader of the parliamentary majority is supposed to provide constrain in line with common good of the people over the policies of Theresa May, the Prime Minister.

Even some British supporters of the EU, such as James O'Brien for example, either do not understand this, or do a really bad job at explaining it, when they say that the EU Commission is like the British public service. The EU Commission is exactly like the cabinet of a country with the continental parliamentary system of government and the commissioners are exactly like minister in such a country. A British member of the Cabinet is elected by the Members of Parliament. An EU commissioner is elected by the Members of the European Parliament. So much for "unelected". "Well, the British system only allows Members of Parliament to become members of the Cabinet, so they are elected BY THE PEOPLE in their ministerial positions!" No, they are not, and this is another example of a clearly inferior principle, proclaimed by the British people to be superior, simply on account of being British. Take Michael Gove for example. He is elected by the constituency of Surrey Heath. The people of Surrey Heath have elected him to represent them in Parliament, not to be the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. He is a jornalist. His professional qualifications in environmental, food production or rural affairs are literally ZERO. So the argument how he is "elected" is absolutely meaningless. In fact this is a negative example, not a positive one. Previously he has been Secretary of State for Justice. Once again, the people of Surrey Heath have elected him to represent them in Parliament, not to be the Secretary of State fir Justice. Once again, his professional qualifications are literally ZERO. He's a journalist, not a lawyer. Previously he has been Secretary of State for Education. Absolutely identical situation. Zero professional credibility.

The Westminster system simply does not promote the best people to the top, but those who tow the party lines. In a country with the continental parliamentary system a top banking expert could be elected for minister of finance. The director of the best hospital in the country could be elected for minister of health. Someone with long career in international institutions could be elected for minister of foreign affairs. In the UK this simply cannot happen. What was the qualification of BoJo to become Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary? Exactly! The Westminster system does not somehow miraculously put the best people in the Cabinet. If you are a great physician, you simply do not pursuit a political career, as your profession will suffer. If you excell in international trade, you would be employed in international trade, not be state secretary in charge of it. Which reminds me, what is professional qualification of Liam Fox, that makes him suitable for the position? Exactly.

Now take the EU commission. What is the qualification of Jean-Claude Juncker to become the "Prime Minister" of the EU? He was the PM of Luxembourg. What was Barroso's? He was Portugal's PM. So they already had track record for the position. Now take a brief look at the present and former EU Commissioners. The present Agriculture and Rural Development EUC is the former Irish minister of environment. The Health and Food Safety EUC is the former Lithuanian minister of Health, the EUC in charge of finances is the former French finance minister. Most of the other EUCs are former prime ministers, deputy prime ministers, MEPs, EU public servants... You go back to Barroso's Commission and the his deputy in charge of financial accountability was the former President of the Bank of Estonia. His agriculture and food EUC was the former Danish agriculture and food minister etc... Before an EU Commissioner is elected, he/she goes through a thororugh and rigorous hearing with detailed questions on their future responsibilities in the position, which looks more like a cross examination interrogation. You take British MPs, put them in cabinet positions and their initial understanding of their portfolios is literally a little more than what Google search tells them. During the time of their terms they gain some experience, but nowhere near the competence a university education in the corresponding sphere can give them. Yes, but they are not supposed to be experts in their portfolios. They have the senior public servents for that precise reason. That is the beauty of the British model of government, right? Well, tell me then, how are the Brexit negotiations going so far with the immense help the public servents provide to the government ministers? How did the public servents prevent the disaster called Grayling? How did they prevent the blunders in the foreign policy? The spike in crime? Are the superior public servents make progress on the trade deals?

The "unelected officials" line is perpetuated by idiots, who need to say something to feel smart and end in repeating hollow expressions that they have heard from demagogues on the telley.

[balecalduin]

You're an astrophysicist? Well how about a video about how Brexit may affect the UK's position in the European Southern Observatory and the new EELT, about ESA... that would be fascinating!

[brighton_dude]

People who talk about "Brussels bureaucrats" also think that the EU is run by Angela Merkel who sits on a throne like the iron throne in Game of Thrones.

[deannilvalli]

The tautology of the words used makes the level of Brexiteur education clear- "Unelected bureaucrats", "unelected judges"- Yes, by definition, bureaucrats and judges are not elected. That is part of how constitutional democracy works, with its system of checks and balances.

[terryneale]

I've been trying to tell people this for years now, I'm going to have to share this.