Flagmakers appear on Newsnight to comment on EU flag fine

August 12, 2010

Flagmakers Turtle & Pearce have appeared on current affairs programme Newsnight to discuss the £150 million fine that has been levied after the UK was accused of failing to fly the EU flag.

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) has given more than £3.8 billion to British projects in the last seven years, including helping to fund the Eden Project in Cornwall and the Millennium Bridge in Gateshead. 


The money has been accompanied by numerous conditions, some of which enforce the flying of the blue and gold flag or installing a permanent flag-branded plaque of recognition.

Now, the European Commission’s bureaucrats have issued the fines after the UK was found to have 'flouted regulations' by not flying the flag at certain projects, including the Eden Project, the Millennium Bridge and the redevelopment of Liverpool’s King’s Dock.

In addition to the failure to fly the EU flag on these projects, several British-based operations were also fined for failing to use the EU flag on their letterheads.

The fine has created huge amounts of controversy not least because the EU funding is in fact UK tax money. Britain is only paid back seven out of every ten pounds paid into the European superstate. This year alone, Britain will contribute £6.4 billion more to Brussels than it receives back.

Leader of the UK Independence Party, Nigel Farage MEP, said the fines were outrageous and blatant money-grabbing – especially in light of the amount that the UK already contributes to the EU coffers.