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On July 1st 1987 a treaty agreed to by all 12 members of the EEC came into effect in Britain.
The new Single European Act forces a major surrender of power from Westminster to Brussels in the interests, it is claimed, of "streamlining" Common Market decision making.
With the exception of three areas of policy - tax; the free movement of individuals; and the rights and interests of employed persons - the Act abolishes the right for a country to veto an EEC proposal with which it strongly disagrees.
More progressive Euro legislation on health and safety and trade union rights can still be blocked by a hostile UK Government.
EEC rulings on economic policies can now be imposed regardless of the feelings of the British people or the British Government.
Up until now any decision by the EEC could be blocked by a country if it was vehemently opposed to it. Now decisions taken in Brussels can be imposed without the consent of the British people or British Government.
Similarly the policies of a government can be declared illegal if a majority of other EEC countries object to them. If these policies restrict the flow of capital only one other country has to object for it to be outlawed.
The main effect of the Act then is to remove the people of Europe a stage further away from decisions which affect their everyday lives. This affects you.
The Act forces member states to adopt policies which promote the free market and therefore profit guided decision making. It is clearly anti-labour and anti-socialist.
Previously the 12 EEC governments which meet together as a Council had to agree unanimously to steps which deregulated the movement of capital. Under the new Act:
"the Council shall issue directives, acting by a qualified majority. It shall endeavour to attain the highest possible degree of liberalisation. Unanimity shall be required for measures which constitute a step back as regards the liberalisation of capital movements." (Article 70(1))
In other words measures which allow and encourage the free flow of capital to areas where there are profits to be made, regardless of social need, only require majority support in the Council.
Policies which would check the free flow of capital and allow for planned investment in basic industries and services, need the support and approval of all twelve EEC governments.
There has never been a socialist government in the entire 172 year history of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Its vote alone could scupper a programme for revitalising the economy.
These proposals which have led to a run down of our steel, coal, shipbuilding and our manufacturing industries were of course backed by the UK government anyway. However, under the new Act, even with a different Government strongly committed to the coal, steel and other primary industries, the will of the other EEC countries would be imposed upon us - like it or not.
Policies to regulate and plan trade, selective public sector purchasing, exchange controls, state aid to industry and a whole range of economic and financial policies will be outlawed under the new Act.
The Single European Act reinforces the commitments to a free market system contained in the Treaty of Rome which established the EEC. Anyone looking at Western Europe in the 1980s can see the wasteful and divisive effects of such a system.
Far from providing a supranational framework upon which we can improve the lives of working people and the unemployed, this latest EEC initiative significantly strengthens the power and independence of capital.
It is a blow to British democracy and forms a major obstacle to a programme based on a planned economy designed to meet social needs, avoid waste and reduce inequality.
The Act passed through the House of Commons in 1986 with only muted opposition. One wonders how much more of an interest would have been shown if MPs' salaries had been cut pro rata in line with their loss of power and responsibilities to Brussels.
Road Haulage has been described as the arteries for the heart of industry.
Supporters of the EEC have long argued that the Common Market opens up new opportunities, encourages competition and so creates jobs. In this edition of the European Examiner we show, using the Road Haulage industry as an example, that this is a myth. New legislation being proposed by the EEC Commission in Brussels will lead to a loss of jobs in the British Road Transport industry.
It will also force a major shift of the remaining industry in the North of Britain and Wales to the South East.
At present lorry drivers traveling from the EEC mainland - and our drivers going there - deliver their load, pick up a new load and return direct.
New rules on what is called 'Cabotage Proposals' will allow them also to carry out local haulage work.
No, there are differences in the tax systems in EEC countries which put British drivers at a disadvantage. For example, our fuel tax and vehicle tax is higher than Belgium, Germany, France and the Netherlands.
In addition to this many European firms, notably the Spanish and the Creeks, can further undercut the British drivers because their drivers are poorly paid and have less social provision than the UK
To transport goods around the EEC a lorry driver requires a multilateral authorization.
There are EEC proposals to greatly increase the number of multilateral authorizations. At present Britain has only 760 compared with 829 in Spain, 1178 in Italy, 1238 in West France, 1291 in the Netherlands and 1441 in West Germany. Under the new proposals there will be an increase in the total number of authorizations from 11,475 to 62,391 by the year 1992 and an unregulated free market from then on.
With this massive expansion in multilateral authorizations together with the Cabotage proposals, British lorry drivers will face an onslaught of unfair competition from continental companies paying poor wages and iniquitous running costs. But there are other problems. Of the UK's 760 Multilateral authorizations, in 1987 the South East had 379, the Midlands 41, the South West 20 and Scotland only 15.
The North East and North West currently have 168 and 137 authorizations respectively. But with the construction of the Channel Tunnel and with the unfettering of fierce competition from abroad, the future for transport in these regions also looks bleak.
Competition will increase unabated as South East and EEC haulage companies compete for much of the internal road haulage work.
Many local road haulage companies will go bankrupt.
Transport costs for industries located outside the South East will rise. The current trend for firms to move to the South East will be accelerated. Wales and the North of Britain will be left as industrial wastelands.
Much of Britain will be left with nothing but low paid, part-time jobs in the service sector.
It's up to you to act before it's too late.
The last Euro Examiner showed how the EEC can prevent a British Government controlling capital investment in the United Kingdom.
This one shows the effects of EEC policy on industry.
In the long run the people of this country will have to decide if membership of the EEC is in their interest.
This Euro Examiner will examine the EEC's energy policy of cheap imports from Columbia, South Africa and Poland. It will also look at the effects of cheap importation, not only of coal but also of other goods, on our standard of living in this country.
Coal is not just an industry on it own. It is linked to the wider economy.
Over the past 15 years we have seen our traditional industries such as steel, shipbuilding and car manufacturing close down. We have seen closures at Bathgate, Linwood and the run down of shipbuilding on the Clyde. Very few of the people who worked in these industries have now got jobs in the so-called "sunrise" industries.
Whilst it is true that electricity demand has increased over the period 1972 - 1987 due to an expansion in the domestic market, this industrial decline has resulted in a fall in that demand for energy and what demand there is, is increasingly met by nuclear fuel and imports produced by slave labour.
In Scotland alone 20 pits have been closed since 1972.
Bedlay, Cardowan, Comrie, Dollar, Kinneal/Valleyfield, Bogside, Polmaise, Wellesley, Killoch, Kingshill, Lady Victoria, Littlehill, Loch Lea, Maxwell, Minnivey, Pennyvenie, Polkemmet, Roger and Sorn.
The closure of these pits has caused job losses in the engineering supply industry, metal working industry, chemical industry, in shipping and the railways.
(Picture of child in mine with caption: Would you let your own do it?)
Coal imports coming from countries such as Colombia, South Africa and heavily subsidised Poland coupled with industrial imports from places such as South Korea are unfair competition.
They are being used as a means to drive down wages and thereby cut living standards in Britain.
In the last few weeks British Coal has threatened to close the Seafield Colliery in Kirkcaldy.
This is not just a threat to the 650 miners who work in the pit. It is an attack on our industrial base which we must resist if we are to halt the slide to a low wage, no rights society.
Act now before it is too late.
Campaign to stop subsidised imports from Columbia and cheap immoral coal imports from South Africa, and Columbia. Write to: Cecil Parkinson MP Secretary of State for Energy House of Commons Westminster London SW1.
The attacks on our basic standard of living because of EEC policy is your problem. If you are concerned become involved - before it is too late.