Role play - Trade and the Single market

Role-play activity: Trade and the Single market

This is your chance to discuss some of the issues that the European

Parliament makes decisions about. The characters involved in your role-play are:



Tricia Bryce, Businesswoman



Charlie Dixon, EU Citizen



Maria Hughes, MEP



Frank Townley, Businessman



Joyce Raffington, EU citizen

These characters are fictional (this means they are not real people) but there are people like them who have similar opinions.

Your discussion question is:

Do you agree that, overall, the Single market is a good thing for the UK?

Your character is:

Tricia Bryce, Businesswoman

You run a small business making wooden toys in the UK but you sell your products to countries across the EU. You think the Single market is a good thing for the UK because you can see the benefits it has brought to your business. There are fewer forms to fill in when you want to sell your products in EU countries and this means fewer delays for lorries – so your products can get to your customers faste r. It also means that you don’t have to pay customs tax when you sell your products in the EU and this helps you keep your prices down and stay competitive. You’ve just been able to employ 10 more workers for your company and you think it’s because the Single market allows you to sell to a bigger market, quickly, reliably and competitively.

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Maria Hughes, MEP

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Charlie Dixon, EU Citizen

You are in favour of the Single market for several reasons. It means that you have a bigger choice of products to buy in the shops and you’ve heard that the Single market helps keep prices low. You are also interested in working abroad and the Single market means you can study or work in any EU country. You can’t understand why people are complaining about it, you think they just don’t like change.

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Maria Hughes, MEP

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Maria Hughes, MEP

The Single market has made the European Union the biggest trading block in the world. This means that businesses can trade with each other without a lot of form filling or taxes. You believe it benefits consumers within the EU because the increased competition between companies in member states helps keep prices low. You know that all products made in the EU must meet high standards of safety and quality so consumers can feel confident and secure about buying EU products. You believe that it is better for countries that are neighbours to work together to improve the lives of their citizens – and the Single market does this.

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Maria Hughes, MEP

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Frank Townley, Businessman

You think the Single market is a bad idea. You buy materials from the USA which you need to manufacture your products and you have to pay customs tax on these materials. You don’t think it’s fair that your competitors who buy their materials from EU countries don’t have to pay this tax. In addition to this, you have to pay your workers the minimum wage, which is a lot more than workers get paid in many other EU countries. This means your competitors are able to charge a lot less for their products and you are losing customers. If things don’t improve you may have to cut jobs in your company and make some people redundant.

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Maria Hughes, MEP

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Joyce Raffington, EU citizen

You work in a small company that makes designer clothes. You love your job but you are under pressure to work longer hours and to work faster. You believe that this is because of the Single market, which allows businesses to employ workers from other EU countries. Many of these workers are used to lower wages in their own countries so they are prepared to work for the minimum wage. You r pay hasn’t gone up in the last three years because of this. You employer says she might have to move production to another EU country or close the company altogether, which means you would lose your job.

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Role-play activity: Consumer Protection - Toy Safety





Anita Patel, Trading Standards Institute



John Sutton, Market stall trader



Grace Evans, MEP



Charlie Stewart, Father of four children/toy buyer



Richard Bonfonti, Toy shop manager.



Do you agree that all toys sold should have the CE safety mark?


Anita Patel, Trading Standards Institute

You are very pleased that the European Parliament passed the Toy Safety law as you believe it protects children across the UK against injury from dangerous toys. You have seen some very dangerous toys being sold in cheap shops or from market stalls. These include dolls that claim to be suitable for small children with parts that young children could choke on if they put them in their mouths and toy cars with sharp edges that could give a deep cut. This law, which requires toy manufacturers to have their toys properly tested for safety, means that children get fewer injuries like these. Part of your job at the Trading Standards Institute is to make sure that people selling toys don’t break the law.

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Grace Evans, MEP

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John Sutton, Market stall trader

You have been selling toys on your market stall for 25 years. You sometimes sell toys without the CE mark on them because they are cheaper and anyway just because they don’t have the CE mark doesn’t mean they are dangerous.

Of course you wouldn’t want to sell toys that would injure children but you think that the CE mark puts money into the hands of the toy safety testers; it’s just another level of bureaucracy. You don’t understand why the European

Parliament has to interfere with what you choose to sell to UK consumers.

Parents are sensible enough to be able to judge whether a toy is suitable for their own child.

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Grace Evans, MEP

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Grace Evans, MEP

You believe that the Toy Safety Law is an important piece of legislation. The

CE mark lets consumers know that a toy has been safety tested; toys that do not have the mark are breaking the law. Consumers need to be protected from fraudulent or dangerous manufacturers and the CE mark does this. You think it is an important task of the European Parliament to set standards of safety and consumer protection. You know that there are still some toys in shops without the mark and you would advise people not to buy them.

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Grace Evans, MEP

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Charlie Stewart, Father of four children/toy buyer

You agree that toys should be safe and not injure children but you also like to get a bargain from the market. Last Christmas you bought some toys from your local market; they were much cheaper than the big toy shops and when you’ve got four children the price is really important. You didn’t check for the

CE mark like most people don’t. All the toys you bought have been fine. You think that like most things the consumer ends up paying extra for the rules and regulations. You believe that you can judge yourself whether something is suitable and safe for your children. Anyway what about old toys? Your children play with toys that were given to them by their grandparents - are the trading standards people going to come round and confiscate them because they don’t have the CE mark on them?

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Grace Evans, MEP

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Richard Bonfonti, Toy shop manager

The CE safety mark means that you don’t have to worry about the safety of the toys you sell. You feel that it protects you as the seller as well as protecting the consumer because of the thorough testing the toys go through.

You do think that it has generally made the price of toys go up, but surely parents would think it is a price worth paying. You do acknowledge however that it is an impossible task to prevent all toys without a CE mark being sold; they will find their way onto the market somehow. This means that you face unfair competition from Market stall traders who aren’t as careful about sourcing toys with the CE mark and sell them cheaper than you can. You also wonder if the CE mark makes consumers complacent

– they expect toys to be safe these days and therefore they don’t bother checking whether they carry the mark or not.

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Role-play activity: Animal Welfare - Testing cosmetics on animals





Antonia Bryce, Neal’s Yard Remedies representative



Lydia Robinson, Public Relations Officer, Sacherelle Cosmetics



Chris Stanley, MEP



Simon Edwards, Animal rights activist



Lizzie Drake, Teenage cosmetics buyer.



Do you agree that testing cosmetics on animals should have been banned?


Antonia Bryce,

Neal’s Yard Remedies representative

You are delighted that the European Parliament has passed this law as you think it is unnecessary to test cosmetics on animals. All of Neal’s Yard

Remedies have been tested and are safe for humans without involving cruelty to animals and your products don’t cost any more than comparable brands.

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Chris Stanley, MEP

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Lydia Robinson, Public Relations Officer, Sacherelle Cosmetics

You and your colleagues at Sacherelle Cosmetics believe that testing cosmetics on animals is the safest way to make sure that products are suitable for humans. With the banning of testing on animals, your cosmetics have become more expensive for consumers as your company has had to find new ways to test products. As a result, Sacherelle Cosmetics are now considering moving its factory to a country outside the EU, if it meant that you can continue to test products on animals. You don’t think the European

Parliament should interfere in this matter.

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Chris Stanley, MEP

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Chris Stanley, MEP

Animals feel pain just like humans do and you and your fellow MEPs in the

European Parliament are committed to ensuring that the rights of animals as well as humans are upheld in all the member states. You believe that this law is a positive step towards this as it removes the unnecessary harm to animals caused by cosmetics testing. By 2013 the law will also mean that products that are tested outside the EU will not be allowed to be sold within EU member states. This law will not stand in the way of scientific testing of medicines. You think that the practice of testing cosmetics – which are a luxury item – on animals is inhumane.

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Chris Stanley, MEP

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Simon Edwards, Animal rights activist

You are pleased that the European Parliament has finally banned cosmetic testing on animals but also disappointed that this law does not go far enough.

You believe that animals have rights and should not be made to suffer for human benefit. You want all experiments on animals, including those for medical research purposes, to stop immediately. You also think that the

European Parliament should make sure that consumers cannot buy products from outside the EU that have been tested on animals; otherwise the only effect that the law will have is to move this dirty business of animal torture outside the EU.

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Chris Stanley, MEP

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Lizzie Drake, Teenager and cosmetics buyer

You love buying cosmetics especially coloured mascaras. You don’t mind if they are tested on animals if it means they don’t make your eyes sting. You can’t afford to pay a lot of money for cosmetics so if this means it’ll make them more expensive you’re against it. Anyway, the last mascara you bought was made in Hong Kong so you don’t understand what difference laws that only affect EU member states will make.

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Role-play activity: The Environment - Disposing of Car Waste


Parliament makes decisions about. The characters involved in your role play are:



Tony Fallon, Environmental campaigner



Trevor Grey, MEP



Sally Whiting, Car owner



Simone Taylor, Resident of Chippingham Estate



Grace Pemberton, Spokesperson for Viva UK (a car manufacturer)



Should car owners be responsible for disposing of their worn out cars?


Tony Fallon, Environmental campaigner

You are pleased that the European Parliament is making an effort to minimise the damage to the environment that results from car waste as you are concerned that, up to now, all the petrol and oil has been left to seep into our earth. However, you believe that this does nothing to deter people from buying new cars or to stop the ever-increasing level of car usage and consequent pollution. You want the European Parliament to put the environment first, not the interests of greedy car manufacturers. You can’t understand why the European Parliament doesn’t put pressure on car manufacturers to design cars that last for longer.

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Trevor Grey, MEP

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Trevor Grey, MEP

You and your colleagues in the European Parliament have worked hard to come up with a solution to the problem of vehicle waste and you are confident that this will make people responsible for disposing of their vehicle with the environment in mind. You believe that the European Parliament has balanced the interest of consumers and manufacturers whilst putting the environment first.

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Trevor Grey, MEP

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Sally Whiting, Car owner

You’re very suspicious about this European Parliament proposal. You agree that car owners should be responsible for getting rid of their worn out cars but you think that you’ll end up paying for this new measure in the end. The car manufacturers will probably put up their prices. You already pay through the nose to run your car, which you need for your business and to drive your disabled son to school. Why shouldn’t the government (which gets all the money you pay in tax) pay to protect the environment?

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Trevor Grey, MEP

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Simone Taylor, Resident of Chippingham Estate

You think that this is a great idea. Anything that gets rid of this dangerous junk from the streets is fine by you. Kids love playing on these old cars that people have simply abandoned and you worry that your kids are going to hurt themselves. You believe that people need to take responsibility for things they buy. If you buy it – you’re responsible for disposing of it in a safe and sensible way. You don’t understand why the European Parliament is involved though.

Surely the local council or government can sort this out without getting the

European Union involved?

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Trevor Grey, MEP

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Grace Pemberton, Spokesperson for Viva UK (a car manufacturer)

Cars are an important part of modern life and your company fully supports the

European Parliament’s proposal to make people dispose of them responsibly.

Viva UK is committed to protecting the environment and is happy to contribute toward these measures. You want to reassure car owners that Viva UK is prepared to put its money where its mouth is and bear at least part of the cost of disposing of cars safely.

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Role-play activity: Professional Football - Football Transfers





Antonio Tambini, Premiership Footballer



Carl Jefferson, Championship Footballer



Tony Martin, Chairman of Premiership Football Club



Saul Harris, Chairman of Championship Football Club



Diana Moore, Football fan

– Premiership Club



Mike Billingham, Football fan

– Championship Club



Should football clubs be allowed to sign players who are at the end of their contracts without paying a transfer fee?


Antonio Tambini, Premiership Footballer

Since the Bosman Ruling your salary has doubled. The money that would have gone to your old club in transfer fees

– comes straight to you. Which is fair because you’re the one who scores the goals, right? As an EU citizen you have the right to freedom of movement and this ruling protects that right.

You’re in control of your career now, which is how it should be.

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Carl Jefferson, Championship Footballer

Your contract with your club is only for two years. You know you’re lucky to be a professional footballer but think that you would have been better off before this ruling. Small clubs like yours were prepared to sign new talent on longer contracts and invest in young players. Now that they’ve lost the money from transfer fees they can’t take that risk. You’re worried that if you don’t perform or you get injured you will struggle to get a new contract and your career as a professional footballer will be over.

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Tony Martin, Chairman of Premiership Football Club

This ruling made a lot of sense to you. If your club wants to sign a player and his contract has come to an end why should the club have to pay his old club for him? They don’t own him. You and your club are willing to pay the players well – so long as it keeps them happy and, you never know, it might help them score a few goals! This ruling also lets you pick the best footballers from the whole of the European Union not just the UK.

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Saul Harris, Chairman of Championship Football Club

The Bosman Ruling has been a disaster for your club. You train and develop young players and then, as soon as their contracts come to an end, the cream of the crop are picked up by big clubs that can afford to pay them more money and put them on longer contracts. The money your club has lost from transfer fees means that you can no longer invest in the youth team and your stadium is falling into a state of disrepair. Not only that but big European clubs poach your best lads.

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Diana Moore, Football fan – Premiership Club

Your club came top of the Premier League last year and you’d never have done it without players like Antonio Tambini. These European players are brilliant and have really put the club on the map. You think the Bosman ruling is good because players should be allowed to choose where they play once their contract has expired. Now your club doesn’t have to pay transfer fees it can afford to attract the biggest names in football and you get to watch worldclass players.

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Mike Billingham, Football fan – Championship Club

As far as you’re concerned, this ruling has had a really bad effect on football in this country. Clubs like yours are really struggling to keep hold of their good players as the big boys pick them up as soon as their contracts end – and you r club doesn’t get a penny to repay it for all the time and money it’s invested in training them. The football stand is a disgrace

– that transfer money could have been spent on giving it a lick of paint and better facilities.

Your son wants the Carl Jeffe rson strip but you don’t dare fork out for it because you never know how long these young players are going to be around for.

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WHAT DID YOU LEARN?

Name:____________________________ Group:___________

Circle the responses that apply to you.

1.

Before the role-play I knew ……………….. about this issue. nothing a bit lots

2.

I …………………the steps the European Parliament has taken on this issue.

Understand don’t understand

3.

I ………………. with the steps the European Parliament has taken on this issue. agree disagree both partly agree and disagree

Explain why (continue on the back if you need more space):

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

4.

I think this issue ………………… affect me.

Does doesn’t

5.

During the roleplay I ………………………. about the issue. didn’t learn anything learnt something learnt a lot

Write 1 thing that you learnt:

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

6.

I ………………….. taking part in the role-play. enjoyed didn’t enjoy

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Role play - Trade and the Single market

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