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If 10yrs on, £Billions wasted and zero benefits later makes you angry enough about Brexit, then don’t be checking this out to see just how much we threw away, risked and lost, so we could crow about sovereignty and put flags on roundabouts instead. what-europe-does-for-me.europarl.europa.eu/en/focus

The EU’s new regulations on product packaging designed to address cheap Temu imports are destroying exports from UK micro -businesses though. Exporters have to nominate (and pay) for representatives in EACH country. And pay a couple of Euros for every different product category in an export (1/2)

It effectively means my daughter @alexandraroseart.bsky.social can no longer sell her cards and artwork to the EU. Absurd bureaucracy - big companies can afford it but micro businesses can’t . (And yes , Brexit is still mad, but this is just typical EU) alexandraroseillustration.com

That’s awful. But isn’t that down to Brexit rather than the EU? Our own govt chose this for us, insisted on it, and still pretend that those ‘red lines’ are worth something. They’re not. They’re just business-ruining cost and red tape for us.

The rules between countries in the EU are almost as bad - so much so that they are trying to delay internal implementation for 10 years! Not for us though So a lot IS down to the EU not understanding how small businesses work.

Ok. The EU has its flaws and makes its mistakes. I still contend that being part of a highly prosperous trading bloc that seeks to protect and improve its citizens lives, offers a safeguard against national govts and combats together the shared challenges we face is a far better option than Brexit.

I’m not arguing otherwise. But it ain’t perfect!

Sure. But Brexit Britain is a fair few notches down again in terms of its prospects, its long-term strategy, its media integrity and its political competence.

(If you’re inside the EU you don’t have to worry about GSPR) 2. PPWR - These are the new Packaging & Waste regulations that require even EU members to have a rep in each country to manage EPR. Without one, you’re not allowed to put your packaging on the market in that country.

Before, there were recycling schemes in Germany, France etc where you signed up to their packaging register and paid small fee for the recycling of the packaging you send into the country. Now PPWR is even preventing small businesses in EU countries selling to each other.

3. The €150 De Minimis Customs Exemption has now ended. Items bought from outside the EU now have a €3 customs fee per item type and in some countries an additional handling fee per item type. These fees can end up costing more than the product sold!