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It could be interpreted as spite, but the real reason is that the EU is not going to make an exception to single market access for the UK. All the EU member sta
by phatfish 4y ago
It could be interpreted as spite, but the real reason is that the EU is not going to make an exception to single market access for the UK. All the EU member states had to agree to the deal negotiated so it becomes very bureaucratic, this can be good and bad.
The goods that the UK has that other EU nations wanted are being replaced by other EU nations. They are now more competitive than UK businesses that have to deal with EU customs checks and other bureaucracy/taxes on a per-country basis. You can say it is "protectionist", which is what certain politicians in the UK like to cast the single market as now, but this is how every economy in the world is run. The US market is protected too.
> As a US citizen, I cannot freely just travel across the EU either.
True, but as a UK citizen i COULD before 2019. As a US citizen you can work/study/retire in any US state. Would you be happy if that was taken away?
The member states of the EU are still independent nations, they are not controlled by a federal government like the US. Getting into EU lawmaking is a rabbit hole, but my feeling is there is a give and take that overall benefits the member states. At the end of they day each country still controls it's own destiny, as the UK felt it needed to prove.
- Alupis 4y agoFrom an outside perspective, it feels like we're witnessing a slow formation of a new super-nation, called the EU, with many member states, such as Germany, France, etc. It likely would not take a whole lot for member nations to cede enough power to the EU and make that a reality - either intentionally or unintentionally, gradually or all at once. Within the US, State's rights and powers have been slowly eroded over the years as well - with a surprising number of people supporting increased centralized power within the US federal government. People already refer to the EU like it's a singular entity. I wonder if this will become a reality in the not-so-distance future. There's pro's and con's to that, of course, much like States within the US.
- ClumsyPilot 4y ago> It likely would not take a whole lot for member nations to cede enough power to the EU and make that a reality Its currently impossible and would take decades - each country has seperate army that speaks a different language, has vigorous national identity. It has sovereign government and paliaments. There is nothing EU can do to compell a member state to do anything it doesnt want to do. EU is like a big mega-trade deal more than a government. Currently Hingary and Poland are flouting EU laws on democracy, the executive jas seized control of the courts and EU can do nothing about it.
- arlcode 4y agoYes, the EU allows member states to punch above their weight when negotiating treaties with foreign nations and the harmonized single market is economically benefitial for many people and Industries. Especially after Brexit people start to realize that. (Thank you UK?) But there isn't a EU national identity to speak of. Mostly no one would say "I'm a citizen of the EU" but "I'm a citizen of France/Germany/Poland which is a member of the EU". The "in group" vs "out group" distinction runs along national borders when it comes to language, laws, news, government and culture. At best there are "even-more-out groups" when it comes to EU-foreign topics such as economic treaties and refugees.