Tom, I agree. It becomes even worse when you put it alongside an EU Council decision made on 20th January this year. The bigger picture is nasty. There is to be a pan-European criminal database. Your details will be added to it for committing any of the offences below. Any of us could probably be found guilty of several at some time or other. The implications are horrendous. * Offences related to waste * Unintentional environmental offences * Insult to the State, Nation or State symbols * Insult or resistance to a representative of public authority * Public order offences, breach of the public peace * Revealing a secret or breaching an obligation of secrecy * Unintentional damage or destruction of property * Offences against migration law - an "Open category" (offences are undefined thus all encompassing) * Offences against military obligations - another "Open category" * Unauthorised entry or residence * Other offences—another "Open category" * Other unintentional offences * Prohibition from frequenting some places * Prohibition from entry to a mass event * Placement under electronic surveillance ("fixed or mobile"—e.g., home, car, mobile phone etc) * Withdrawal of a hunting or fishing licence * Prohibition from playing certain games or sports * Prohibition from national territory * Personal obligation - another "Open category" * "Fine" - all fines, including minor non-criminal offences. Remember, fines no longer need proper courts to be issued. To see the original document, search for on the Brussels system. Or go straight to http://www.statewatch.org/news/2009/jan/eu-council-decision-ecris-14571-08.pdf It manifests our final movement from British to Napoleonic law. Under its terms, refusing to cooperate with a jobsworth will probably see you deemed a criminal, with your very own entry(s) on the database. At this rate, we will shortly be seeing mode 'S' transponders being made mandatory on bicycles. Meanwhile, the real crims will be laughing their socks off. Ray.