In what is arguably the most dull countdown to festivities ever made, the calendar promotes the union - and offers ‘useful’ advice on present labelling and mince pies. Appearing on a pro-EU propaganda website the calendar claims to offer an “informative and sometimes amusing take on how the EU works”. Behind door two the makers lauded food labelling rules that mean warnings that products contain nuts have to be a certain size on packaging.

And on day nine the EU cosmetics regulation which ended testing on animals is praised and day 15 promotes the EU driving safety app - which the calendar points out is free, while plugging the European data roaming cap.


The advent calendar offers n “informative and sometimes amusing take on how the EU works"


Advice and information with a Christmas twist is offered while the EU promotes itself in calendar

On December 8, the officials used the calendar to point out that Brussels gender equality rules do not require shops to sell Mother Christmas outfits and to note there are no regulations meaning Christmas trees have to be symmetrical.

“It’s as appetising as an extra portion of over cooked sprouts,” Nicky Gumbel, the founder of the Alpha course and vicar at Holy Trinity Brompton said.

“The secular world offers very little hope because it’s taken Christ out of Christmas.

“I was amused to see that the European Commission is marking the countdown to Christmas with a secular advent calendar.

“December 1 brought glad tidings of great joy about toys and perfumes having to meet strict EU regulations. Nothing says Christmas like a bit of health and safety compliance.”

Ukip MEP Jane Collins last night said it was ‘disgusting’ that Brussels officials had hijacked Christmas to promote the EU.

“Even people who are not regular church goers or are from other religions know that we celebrate Christmas as the time when the Bible says the Son of God was born so why does Brussels have such a problem with that?,” she said.

“Instead we are subjected to utter tripe such as information on the legislation of mince pies and no doubt our surprise message on the December 24 will be a new addition to the European Skies Directive to include flying sleighs pulled by reindeer and health and safety directives for working with animals who have facial protrusions with potentially dangerous levels of light emissions.”

The advent calendar is on a taxpayer-funded European Commission (EC) website to promote the EU to people in Britain.

In the first window, the EU officials pointed out how buyers should look for the ‘CE’ safety label on ‘the toys you buy for your child or niece and the perfume you give your mum’.


The calendar praises achievements of the EU like rules on animal testing

More about: