TONY Bennett (Letters, August 23) holds up Norway as an example of what life could be like for the UK outside the EU.

He refers to Norway's "modest membership fee for membership of the European Economic Area". For the record, Norway pays around the same net financial contribution per head as its neighbour Denmark - and Denmark is a full member of the EU.

For the record too, when you look at league tables as to which European country is regularly at the top of the list in terms of timely and full implementation of EU legislation, the answer is Norway. If it wants to do business with the EU, Norway has to implement EU laws over which it has no say and no control.

If Norway had a magic alternative that was cheaper and more appropriate, would not every EU country be following suit? The reality is the exact opposite. It is no surprise that the Norwegian Government has twice applied for full membership, narrowly failing to proceed following an internal referendum.

Now that the rest of Europe is increasingly coming together, I am told by colleagues in Norway that the popular mood there is slowly starting to realise that notional independence means less power not more, and that a third application will not be long in coming.

PHILIP BUSHILL-MATTHEWS,

MEP European Parliament, Brussels