The name Faero Islands means in that Viking tongue "sheep islands", which is what makes the following tale even more invidious. In one of those examples of crass bullying protectionism come imperialism another traditional and profitable industry hits the dust. According to reports in the Swedish press the EU is rejecting further imports from the Faero Islands. More than 50,000 Faeroese sheepskins will be burnt after the autumn sheep slaughter. The EU only allows import from slaughterhouses approved by the Union, and sheep on the Faeroes are slaughtered in farms, not slaughterhouses. But of course there is no suggestion that any animal cruelty actually takes place, it is just that the cost of the creating a sanctioned abattoir for this purpose and the whole checking/compliance regime is too great.

That'll teach those rebellious islanders to demand independence and refusing to be part of the EU.