exist successfully as a separate economicallyindependent entity. There was the recognition by some that the onlyhope to attain these goals was to join the EC as there was little scopefor a United Kingdom outside the community, especially when the six(Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands)had done so visibly better than the UK4 Since biting the bullet and gaining its membership to the then calledEuropean Community in 1973, Britain has vocally announced that itwould prefer the salad bar version of integration to the stewedversion. For example, Margaret Thatcher spoke in Bruges in September1988 and she said she sought to lay down a vision of a Europe ofsovereign states, economically considerably more liberal, deregulatedand interdependent, but a Europe based essentially on cooperationrather than integration5. Within the EU, Britain could work with the other member nations toguarantee its economic interests and attempt to maintain its influenceand continue to hold sway in world affairs. Inside the EU Britain wouldbe able to mould the trading systems of Europe to its advantage. As anoutsider, it feared being on the uninfluential receiving end of decisionsmade by the combined power of the original six6. The EU has stated explicitly that its objectives are to lay thefoundations of an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe ... theconstant improvement of the living and working conditions of thepeople, and the reduction of differences in wealth between regions7.And so, Britain has had to temper its view that Europe could survive asa system of completely independent yet cooperative states in order tobenefit from the advantages, such as open markets and free trade withother members, which is offered by membership in the EU. Britains decision to join the EU was a considered one, to gaineconomic benefits and submit to some loss of individual control oversocial matters that concern all members of the Union. Howeve...
