Italy’s appalling track record

From David Petrie

Your article ‘Italy bottom of internal market league’ (European Voice, 14-20 July) comes as no surprise to the non-Italian migrant lecturers, lettori, from many EU countries teaching in Italy’s universities.

On 15 November 2005, the European Court of Justice will hear the European Commission’s case for daily fines against Italy following years of legally proven discrimination, as long ago as 1989, against these migrant workers.

It is to be hoped that some of our governments will intervene in the proceedings. Most, of course, will not.

Some because they themselves have a poor record of implementing EU law and others because keeping cosy with rogue states at bilateral meetings takes precedence over citizens’ rights enshrined in the 1957 Treaty of Rome and ignored, particularly, by successive governments in Rome.

Given Europe’s appalling track record, Europhiles have no reason to be depressed by citizens in France and the Netherlands rejecting the new constitution; at ground level it will make little difference. By the same token, Europhobes needn’t fear the revival of the constitution, one of its most enthusiastic supporters, Italy is also the worst at implementing EU law.

Who says you cannot have your cake and eat it?

David Petrie

Chair

Association of Foreign Lecturers in Italy

Verona