The Liberal Democrats will work through the European Union to ensure:
- A stronger economy, more jobs and more opportunity for businesses
- More action to stop climate change and protect the environment.
- More criminals are caught, such as terrorists, gangsters and paedophile networks, and our civil liberties are upheld.
Britain’s Liberal Democrat MEPs play a leading role in the wider group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) which is the powerful third force in the Parliament, often casting decisive votes.
Liberal Democrats will:
- Put money in people’s pockets with big, permanent tax cuts for ordinary people and families, funded by closing loopholes and unfair exemptions that benefit big business and the wealthy. There is a growing problem of companies and banks using offshore financial centres and other means to avoid paying their fair share in tax. This can only be stopped if EU countries co-ordinate better and are stricter at cracking down on offshore centres.
- Create more jobs and chart a green road out of recession. The Liberal Democrats will work with our European neighbours to create thousands of new jobs by breaking down trade barriers across Europe and boosting support for green jobs. Liberal Democrats want to create new jobs in green industries, put money in people’s pockets from saving energy, and build a transport network we can all be proud of. We will encourage other European countries to put in place similar investments to ensure we emerge from recession stronger and greener than before.
- Work through Europe to police the Banks. The British banking system is inextricably bound up with banking systems across Europe. We must work together to keep an eye on how banks are operating across Europe and get a grip on the behaviour of credit institutions. We want more co-operation in Europe between national financial services authorities and the European Central Bank.
- Catch criminals, sex offenders and terrorists. Our MEPs support greater co-operation between police forces such as the European Arrest Warrant that helps Britain swiftly bring back suspects to face justice in this country rather than wait for the old lengthy extradition procedures.
- Protect privacy and human rights. We need guaranteed privacy safeguards on access to databases by police and intelligence agencies, including when access is given to non-EU countries such as the US.
- Ensure green, affordable and secure energy supplies. Britain has the potential to lead the world in clean renewable energy particularly wave, tidal and wind power. Our goal is for Britain to source all energy needs from within the EU by 2030 and become a net exporter of energy by 2050. This will deliver secure supplies of cleaner energy - and lower bills.
- Promote free and fair world trade. Liberal Democrats want the EU to promote a world trading system that is both free and fair. That means a liberal and open system that increases economic growth and jobs, but that takes account of environmental and social standards too. The EU has a key role to play in salvaging the Doha development round of the World Trade Organisation, including eliminating trade barriers and production subsidies in agriculture.
- Get a fair deal for shoppers and holidaymakers. We want to open markets in Europe and force down the costs of everything from medicines to mobile phone bills, meals and machinery. Liberal Democrats stood up for millions of British holidaymakers by slashing mobile phone roaming charges, blacklisting unsafe airlines, and introducing flight delay refunds. We will continue to fight for a better deal for Britain’s consumers.
- Replace the Common Agricultural Policy with a new policy that strengthens agriculture ensures fair trade for farmers and delivers sustainable development of the countryside. This would help farmers to get a fair price for their produce, encourage home-grown food, conserve our countryside, help rural economies, help tackle climate change and ensure cleaner water and protect water supplies.
- Reform the EU budget to get better value for money. The EU budget is in urgent need of wholesale reform so that money is spent only on the things the EU really needs to do.
- Boost military capabilities to make a stronger European contribution to NATO and to give Europe the capability to act when it needs to. Liberal Democrats say no to a European army, but yes to European defence co-operation. We want a strong Europe within an effective NATO. We believe that NATO remains the bedrock of our collective security.
