[Valin]

Well they are after all better than we little people. So they should govern us.

[ijcr]

It was reported last week that an Austrian farmer, Johann Thiery, had been fined and threatened with prison for selling "apricot marmalade" made from a traditional Austrian recipe passed on by his grandmother.

Under EU rules "marmalade" can only be made from citrus fruit. Sternly defending Mr Thiery's punishment, a European Commission spokesman said: "The law is the law."

Next day Pedro Solbes, the EU's economics commissioner, was reported as defending the right of France and Germany to run up huge budget deficits, in flagrant breach of the Growth and Stability Pact.

"Given the circumstances we face," he said, "it would be unwise to follow the letter of the law." (Sunday Telegraph Christopher Booker's 26/10/2003 )