Just not cricket!

The EU, bane of our existence, tarnisher of our souls, thief, meddler, corrupted to the core, bureaucratic nightmare (yes way OTT, but I'm irritated) has killed off our home-grown our cricket bat industry.

Telegraph.

The English cricket bat industry is under threat following a new EU law that prevents willow being exported outside Europe, it has been claimed. 

A European Directive introduced last month has banned the use of the insecticide Methyl Bromide which is used to treat the wood before it is exported to be turned into cricket bats.
However, the wood cannot leave the country without a fumigation certificate and the industry's main markets in India, Pakistan and Australia do not currently accept any alternative treatment for the wood apart from Methyl Bromide.
Only four Essex-based companies export English willow to the rest of the world and suppliers say their businesses could close down in three months if a solution is not found.
J S Wright and Sons, of Great Leighs, is the world's largest and oldest supplier of bat willows - called clefts - having started trading in 1874.
Nick Wright, from the firm, said 40 staff would lose their jobs if the Forestry Commission cannot find a suitable chemical alternative.
Geoff Watling, of Anglian Willow Services the second largest willow supplier, said a chemical called Phosphane could be used but it hasn't been approved.
He said: "They say a form of heat treatment can be used but that actually splits willow, so we are basically left with nothing.

Typical EU meddling, they do something that appears to satisfy their environmentalism only for it to have an effect on England (not that they care) They trample over a tradition going back over a century and rob us of jobs and national pride.
So are our politicians wading in to tell them where to get off? Well no, not really, they're too busy electioneering, the bureaucracy though are intransigent.

A Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesman confirmed: "Under the Montreal Protocol methyl bromide was banned from 2005 in the developed world, except for quarantines, pre-shipment and critical uses.

"Methyl Bromide is no longer allowed at all from March 19, 2010."

In other words our traditions count for nothing and one of our national games can no longer use bats made in our own country and English companies and craftsmen will be out of work because none of our politicians gave a damn or made cricket bats an exception to the rules.

Can we just leave, now, please?