A few years ago, the Commission was embarrassed by headlines that all male Commission staff could reclaim the cost of six Viagra pills. Headline writers could not resist: ‘EU officials to keep up the good work’…. ‘fringe benefit to perk them up’. The Eurosceptics couldn’t’ resist: ‘…the impotence of the European Commission EU officials was well known’.

One Commission employee was more practical: ‘But now that the number of pills has been published…what do they tell their wives if they do not use all six at home?’ Years later, the Commission still had a little text on the myth-busting section of their site explaining the reality: ‘…only ten people get their medical expenses for six Viagra pills a month partly reimbursed.’