I would still add somethng about the public sphere of the EU, (even if it is a bit vague)since the EU can make what ever policies it wants, but if it is not communivated, it all stayes the same. And with this communication I really don´t mean the Commission representations having open door days for public, but actually more of quality journalism on the EU wide topics, about the policy issues on the Parliament´s agenda, on the personal follow up of the EU-leaders etc. During the elections there has been a Euroelecetion blog on the biggest newspaper site held by known political journalists. Very good blog, but this is actually first time when I see listed the major policy issues that the parliament is going to decide in teh forthcoming election perioid. That was something really concrete and I would like to see more of this done by the national medias.

If you don´t mind, I´ll borrow your list when I do my EU stuff here in Finland

For a new “EU tax” to be accepted by citizens, there should be a corresponding visible reduction in national taxes, i.e. those which go to make up the GNI resource. Which member states are going to go for that easily? An environmental tax could be promising territory, but if it is designed to curtail polluting activities, the take from it ought to reduce over time, raising the question of what replaces it then (just as the development of free trade under successive GATT/WTO rounds reduced take from the Community’s traditional own resources, leading to the introduction of the GNI resource).

@Trooper – yes, there is VAT. But the problem is it’s fixed – no-one debates or discusses it, it’s not a subject for the EP elections. And EU funds should be.

@Igor – 12, I disagree. Directives are vital to get MS to change their behaviour, and, if policed correctly, are a good way to apply EU law to respect national legal systems. If you believe in subsidiarity you should want to maintain directives.