How much of Europe is with us?

Brussels - posters everywhere, constantly campaigning on TV. Next Sunday will Europe choose its parliament.
Why? What we bring to the regulations and directives from Brussels and Strasbourg? Especially cucumber, okay. But this is rather silly, so this policy is also tilted back. What else? Where Europe provides our daily lives? Surprisingly, everywhere - and that makes the choice so important to us.
Do you know of Directive 2005/32/EC? Or 96/62 EC? Maybe fall in the key words or eco-directive on air quality of the penny? Not? In this shape the everyday life but your life. The former ensures that you not buy at the hardware store from September, the good old light bulb can. And the latter is responsible for ensuring that sticks to the windshield of your car a little badge.
Both laws were behind it, although passed by the Bundestag, but is actually the originator of the EU. Brussels and Strasbourg are responsible for an impressive 84 percent of our German law. In the previous legislative period, 10 279 of our laws went into the account of EU politicians.
Some mean cost and bureaucracy, simplify our lives but many. As the Regulation to improve passenger rights, which grants us with flight and train delays reimbursement. Or to limit the roaming charges that mobile phone calls on vacation can not be too expensive.
Or the policy for safe toys that will protect our children. Thanks to the EU are allowed to cosmetic companies in the advertising does not lie on the effectiveness of a cream and organic products must also be organic be in it. "There's long been a power shift from the national parliaments rather than with the EU ', Dieter Wolfram, Scientific Director said at the Center for European policy. Only in the areas of social protection, employment law, civil law and education, the German politicians are largely free in their room for maneuver.
"The lobbyists have recognized this shift," says Wolfram. "Look at the number of associations in Brussels! The low awareness of the citizens of the European Parliament is in inverse proportion to its importance. "
Why do we itch Europe so little? "Because the law in Europe is very complicated," says Wolfram. "The people involved are largely unknown, there is no identifiable structure of government and opposition, so that no clear dividing lines."
2004 just 43 percent of Germans went to the polls this year, experts fear an even worse outcome. Europe does not matter what matters is national. Fallacy! Our future will be decided on many points this Sunday.
Also of Interest
These are our EU politicians

Living with fear

From her balcony, she looks a good 60 meters into the abyss, her house is right on the edge of the subway excavation Haymarket.
"I can understand if people are afraid. I too have a queasy feeling about the impending flooding of the pit, "says Anne Schmitges.
"The construction companies, the KVB and the city would have more, faster and above all, honest information about the need to botch", throws it against the parties.
"Everything slice by slice to learn from the EXPRESS, without being informed by the authorities, is not a good use of those directly affected. Moreover, it is said to often by the archive. More importantly, however, that because two people had to leave because of bungling their lives. How could this be, when supposedly everything is fine? "
The 67-year-old retiree has lived for 26 years in the house at the Pipinstraße. From her balcony, she looks for years deep in a hole. Although she was worried about the flooding. "But I'm not really afraid," she says. "I find myself funny. Maybe it's because every day I speak with the workers and just have a feeling that not one those people cheat. "
Metro botch: Reviews of the Info-Event
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Photo: Sommerfeld
"I feel safe," says Matthias Schlecker (31). "The construction sites are the revelations lately probably the bestüberprüften in Germany."
Photo: Sommerfeld
"We are angry because the city and inform us citizens hardly KVB. We are therefore completely insecure, "said Melanie Graf (29) and Jessica Blanke (32).
Photo: Sommerfeld
"I come from the building and I know it. I do not trust any more, "says Bernd Mrotzek (70). "I'm upset because you tried to sell us stupid people!"
Photo: Sommerfeld
Linda Sieverding (42) from Ehrenfeld is furious: "It is as always: everything is OK, no danger. words fail. "That was, I would almost say a cheek. I feel not a little reassured. "
Hans-Jürgen quite different Zundel (53), who lives in the house. "Of course I'm afraid," he says. "Ideally I would take off." He had abdominal pain, feel the morning rhythmic vibration when being worked in the trench with heavy equipment. "The construction companies are talking out only, no one takes responsibility."
Cologne and many ask questions: When the excavation is flooded Haymarket? Rhine is a critical level of 6.50 meters. The flooding, with 32 million gallons of water would be an additional safeguard, according to city. Before Saturday is not decided about it. The residents will be notified in advance.
Running in a flooded the basements of neighboring houses full? "The water level in the 'closed' pit has no effect on the neighboring houses," said Jochen Keysberg of the Association of the construction companies. Flooding and rising groundwater will not be affected. The city said: "The stability of the houses is considered to be safe."
Why measurement protocols were forged? Keysberg: "It could be that the measurement has failed. About other subjects I want to say anything because of the prosecutor investigations. "
Were indications before the collapse of archive, such as mass-cracks in the houses, ignored? This keeps Stadtdirektior Guido Kahlen least possible: "The cracks in the city archive, we have studied may not be sufficient."
Had the accident with two more controls to prevent dead? KVB chief Juergen Fenske explains: "There was a supervision of the KVB. But whether this was sufficient, I can not say, which is checked ruthlessly. "
Why are after a year cause and culprits are still not fixed? The presumed crash site of the slat 11 is 40 meters deep. To explore a Besichtungskeller it must be built. In order to destroy it, no evidence that they had decided to proceed with the utmost care and for investing more time.
Video on the subject
Online survey on the "underground construction": Participation is anonymous, takes about three minutes. Participate here.
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Renato Granato! Sunday he will meet again

Leverkusen - Super technicians. Dribble artists. Fast, powerful fighting - Renato Augusto is a football-grenade. Note Best Bayer player.
Only with the goals is difficult when shooting on Sunday noch.Da to finally burst the knots. Bochum and is most welcome. In the 3-2 victory scored in the first leg of the 21-year-old superstar from Leverkusen's first and only Bundesliga match.
"This goal," said the midfielder, "I will never forget in my life. Den I let my frame. But slowly it may be some more. "
"Renato Granato-burning". He wants to play more than one table in the upper third. The artist wants to win football with Bayer title. "It would be wonderful. Then we would make history. And my picture would hang in the stadium. That would make me very proud. "
Despite the Cup triumph over Bayern Leverkusen Bochum stand against relegation under great pressure. Only a victory in the last five league games - not enough for the ambitious club. Even a disaster can not afford the troops by Bruno Labbadia. Otherwise, they threaten the goal of the UEFA Cup to fail again.