No More Hiding Behind the UK's Skirt.

Just been reading an interesting article.

Quote

Brussels missing UK after Brexit - ‘Countries used to hide behind them!’

The EU has struggled to adjust with life without Britain as the bloc prepares for a huge battle over its new 1 trillion euro budget. According to Joe Barnes, Brussels Correspondent for the Daily Express on Feb 6, 2020.

EU capitals are missing the influence and sensibility of London on the Brussels decision-making process. The remaining 27 member states face some of the political project’s toughest decisions as the post-Brexit soul-searching continues: Sweden’s Europe Minister Hans Dahigren said: “We are missing the UK as a big player and a close partner in those talks. We have to work even harder to reach our objectives”

During its 47 years of EU membership, Britain provided the balance that prevented France and Germany exerting their influence over the rest of the bloc.

But now previous EU allies are without the strength of London at the negotiating tables, or even simply providing a veto to hide behind.
Agata Gostynksa-Jakubowska, from the Centre for European Reform think-tank, said: “Countries like the Netherlands used to hide behind the UK’s back, hoping it would be very vocal while representing Dutch interests too.
“It was better to have another member state threatening a veto”.

Brexit has forced EU capitals, who share Britain’s attitudes towards free trade, spending and Nato, to rethink their strategy. Some have spent the last three years canvassing potential new allies in a bid to bolster their strength at the negotiating table”
A diplomat said: “This is what we have basically been doing for the past three years now, talking to the other 26 countries and finding where we have similar views - and where we did not realise we have similar views.

“That has been a political priority”

Ireland is another country seeking to reposition itself in the bloc, after EU membership helped Dublin and London heal a troublesome relationship.
Michael Collins, a former Irish diplomat, said: “It was a very comfortable position for Ireand with the Brits in.” “With Brexit, we really had to shake ourselves and ask where to position.

Dublin has tried to team up with the New Hanseatic League - a Dutch-led alliance leading the charge against France - and doubled its diplomatic presence in Berlin.

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Well, the above seems to put a different perspective on how things were in the arena. Seems as though it was the UK that ‘certain countries’ used to hide behind and happy for us to take all the flack while they gained by doing nothing!

Still, at least now they will have to stand on their own two feet! No more hiding behind us. If they want better for their own countries, step forward! The UK has left the room.

Re: No More Hiding Behind the UK's Skirt.

It's all entirely their own fault. All they had to do to avoid Brexit was bend a little and give Cameron the few crumbs he went seeking, but NO, they sent him away almost nothing. Self inflicted wounds in my opinion!!

Re: No More Hiding Behind the UK's Skirt.

Agreed. They were quite willing to let us do all the work and then they take the credit locally.

Re: No More Hiding Behind the UK's Skirt.

SG

Nice post.

Glad to see Ireland might be waking up and start to stand on their own two feet as well as Denmark and the Netherlands.

More Interesting times ahead

Re: No More Hiding Behind the UK's Skirt.

Here comes austerity in the EU...


https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.exp...in-Daubney/amp

Re: No More Hiding Behind the UK's Skirt.

Those two countries, and others, always stood by your side. It is you who fled and retreated on your island. Like that time in duinkerken.

Re: No More Hiding Behind the UK's Skirt.

Remember the discussions about the previous multiannual budget? Thought not:

After two and a half years of intense and complicated negotiations, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission reached an agreement on the much expected Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020 (MFF 2014-2020). Though the MFF 2014-2020 focuses on growth and job creation, for the first time in the EU’s history, the overall amount of the MFF will be lower (3.5%) than those in the previous financial period (2007-13). During the past months several governments of Member States, in particular the net contributors, fought hard to reduce the spending ceilings, arguing that national governments had also been forced to approve austerity budgets.* http://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/w...work-2014-2020

Re: No More Hiding Behind the UK's Skirt.

What's racist about leaving your allies behind?

Re: No More Hiding Behind the UK's Skirt.

Stop hitting the horse - it's passed away!

Re: No More Hiding Behind the UK's Skirt.

*** Posts have been removed.

Please stop the childish name calling and bickering.