Eurozone Countries Should Form United States of Europe, Says EC Vice-President

Viviane Reding: 'Like Winston Churchill, I believe that the UK
not be part of this, but it should remain a close ally with the
federated eurozone.'

THE GUARDIAN: Viviane Reding calls for full fiscal and political union for 18 eurozone countries but says UK should remain apart

A "United States of Europe" should be formed by the 18 eurozone countries to stabilise the European single currency, a vice-president of the European commission says in a speech on Monday evening.

Speaking at the Cambridge University faculty of law, Viviane Reding borrows Winston Churchill's historic 1946 phrase as she called for a full fiscal and political union on much of the continent.

Delivering the Mackenzie Stuart lecture, Reding says: "There is a strong case for a true fiscal and ultimately political union. In my personal view, the eurozone should become the United States of Europe."

However, Reding endorses Churchill's view, outlined in his Zurich speech in 1946, that Britain should remain apart from the United States of Europe. » | Nicholas Watt, chief political correspondent | Monday, February 17, 2014

British People Too 'Uninformed' to Vote in EU Referendum, Top Eurocrat Claims

Viviane Reding claimed that Britons were not well-informed enough

DAILY EXPRESS: BRITISH people do not know enough about the European Union to decide whether or not to stay in it, a top Brussels official has claimed.

European Commission vice-president Viviane Reding also questioned the ability of Britons to vote in EU elections, as she claimed 70 per cent of UK laws are made by the European parliament.

Mrs Reding said the truth about what happens in Europe is often "completely distorted", which meant voters did not have the facts they needed at the ballot box.

She also insisted the European parliament was the "most powerful" within the union because it made or was jointly responsible for most new laws.

During a question and answer session in London, Mrs Reding urged Britain to spend more time debating EU membership before the possible future in/out referendum.

"Do the people who are asked to vote know what they are going to vote about?" she said.

"I don't care what kind of personal decision you take, the only thing I care for is that you take an informed decision, whatever your decision be."

She said Britain was not using its "tradition of debate" over Europe, adding: "I really wonder why. Because you are on the verge of having maybe a national decision, to take very important decisions." » | Alison Little and Jane Mathews | Tuesday, February 11, 2014