Email of the day 2
Comment of the Day

June 13 2017

Commentary by David Fuller

Email of the day 2

On a potential difficulty in joining the EEA:

Dear David, I have read several articles in which it was pointed out that the other members of the European Economic Area might not agree to the UK joining it. Apparently they fear that the UK would become the dominant partner because it is so much bigger than any of the other members. Thus, joining the EEA is not as simple at it might appear to be.

David Fuller's view

That is a possibility because Norway and particularly Iceland and Liechtenstein are much smaller than the UK.  However, I don’t see a dominant partner problem because their interests are entirely different, although the three states share residency agreements between unmarried couples.  

The basic difference, as I see it, is because the EEA agreement encompasses less that ten percent of EU lawmaking.

What does concern me is that following Mrs May’s General Election disaster, the EU may try to force the UK back into the EU.  That would lessen the region’s financial problems, restore some prestige and most importantly, deter any other country from trying to leave the EU.

We had an indication of this today in the Bloomberg article: Schaeuble Says U.K. Welcome Back If Brexit Was Overturned.  Emmanuel Macron has just  made similar comments in Paris during Mrs May’s visit earlier today.  Fortunately, both the latest Conservative and Labour administrations favour some form of Brexit.  Interestingly, Mrs May has appointed more cabinet ministers in the last few days who voted Leave in last year’s referendum. That could keep her in power for a little longer. 

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