Whenever I’ve heard this said it’s by right wingers who think the EU is communism

this is more often complaining about human rights than lost economic productivity

“If we don’t let porky do whatever he wants he’ll take his big bux and do business in some country that will, and instead of getting his pittance we’ll get nothing!!”

A bit off topic, not the post’s fault, I was frustrated already by reading comments. As a European, I’m kinda done hearing USAians opinions on what’s happening in Europe (or most other countries really). The misinformation and bad assumptions about other countries seem to be so deeply ingrained in US culture that it’s rarely worth the effort of responding to it.

Hexbear does better in general, but even here it’s still frustratingly unending.

I can’t really speak to industry in the traditional “manufacturing” sense, but I know their food industry regulation is pretty tight. I view this as mostly good thing though, especially when compared with the shit that passes for food in the 'states.

maybe its erotic

It is real in so far as starting a new industrial factory in Europe is practically impossible at this stage, with a large regulatory regime that makes it extremely difficult to get started if you don’t already have an expert’s level of understanding of the industry.

However, that is honestly the least of their issues, industrially speaking. Their primary issues are currently of power, land, and labor. Power is an issue because they are no longer getting cheap LNG from Russia. Land is always an issue in Europe, as it is fairly densely populated and getting things approved for building because of that can be difficult (so partially a regulatory issue), and labor is a problem because engineers are treated extremely well in Europe, so poaching one is considered difficult, especially for a new venture, as well as getting cheap labor for the factory itself.

Regulations are a very very small part of their issues.

Partially true I guess but I think the biggest factor in industrial decline is neoliberal brainworms, they just outsourced most meaningful work to China same as the US.

It’s true in the sense that competing locations where there is less regulation are more competitive. So less investment in various industries occurs.

It’s not true in the sense of living standards.

If your measure is how well people are living then european regulation is improving lives, if your measure is financebro shit then it’s going to look like choking. They aren’t interested in human beings.

The EU has on multiple ocassions mandated deregulation if local regulations were stricter than Eu standard (I.e. German neoliberal standards)

The EU is an economic project to support existing European financial and industrial capital, and all its regulation serves either in direct support of that aim or as a concession to be allowed to pursue that aim.

Going to need more context here.

what are you talking about