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The Great EU Cabbage Myth

Are there really 26,911 words of EU regulation on the sale of cabbage? Tim Harford investigates.

Could there really be 26,911 words of European Union regulation dedicated to the sale of cabbage? This figure is often used by those arguing there is too much bureaucracy in the EU. But we trace its origins back to 1940s America. It wasn’t true then, and it isn’t true today. So how did this cabbage myth grow and spread? And what is the real number of words relating to the sale of cabbages in the EU? Tim Harford presents.

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9 minutes

Last on

Mon 4 Apr 2016 14:50GMT
BBC World Service except News Internet

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Broadcasts

  • Fri 1 Apr 2016 21:50GMT
    BBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & News Internet
  • Mon 4 Apr 2016 01:50GMT
    BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean
  • Mon 4 Apr 2016 02:50GMT
    BBC World Service Online, Europe and the Middle East & UK DAB/Freeview only
  • Mon 4 Apr 2016 03:50GMT
    BBC World Service East Asia & South Asia only
  • Mon 4 Apr 2016 04:50GMT
    BBC World Service Australasia
  • Mon 4 Apr 2016 06:50GMT
    BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East & East and Southern Africa only
  • Mon 4 Apr 2016 14:50GMT
    BBC World Service except News Internet

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Podcast

  • More or Less

    Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics used in everyday life