Re: Non EU countries

Personally I preferred the british to stay in the EU because friends should stick together. Somehow your politicians (mis)used the strong feelings of independence in the british. The U in UK and EU stands for the same concept. Why are you as welsh, english, irish and scots capable to stand together as britons, but cannot or willnot achieve this with other nations.
Sorry, we (you and us) DID achieve that to a degree. So why a divorce?

As to helping poor countries (like Greece): being over 50 I am well aware that it was the british (first and fore all) who came to help to free the continent. And by the way, I think we still owe you for that.
That help in showing the way in climbing out of crisis, is what we still need in EU.

Article 50 is set in motion, so formally there is no turning back. Nevertheless I'm hoping that your present leaders and the other negotiators in Brussels find a way to redeem the place in the EU before companies like Unilever definitely decide the move their production facilities to the mainland.

Re: Non EU countries

Personally (I await being shot down in flames for this), I believe that the vast majority of the UK, including pretty much everyone on this forum would much rather have stayed in the EU. The problem is that the EU "many" want to have isn't anything like the EU we actually have and moreover it seems to be diverging from "our" view of the ideal.

So, there is a strong case for a divorce. Call it incompatibility if you like. A fair few think that the marriage can be salvaged and a fair few think it's time to call it a day.

Hence the endless arguing.

Having seen my parents getting divorced when I was 11, and having lived through the curious situation that we all still lived together in the same house and pretty much carried on as, but managed better than before due to the new relationship, to the disgust of others on here I remain pretty agnostic but optimistic about the final outcome, no matter how bad it looks now


Not true. The deadline for leaving can be extended, as well as not actually going through the finality of leaving. This isn't an argument for backing away, just a statement of the fact.

Re: Non EU countries

Irrelevant. Paying for free-trade is one thing; paying for a foreign power to apply unwanted laws to you is quite another.

Re: Non EU countries

Care to tell us some of those unwanted laws?

Re: Non EU countries

You may not be aware of it Solasch but one of the prime objectives of the Scottish government is independence from the UK and remain in the EU. Doesn't make much sense since most of our trade is with the rest of the UK.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/s...-be-rest-of-uk

Re: Non EU countries

A Member State which decides to withdraw shall notify the European Council of its intention. In the light of the guidelines provided by the European Council, the Union shall negotiate and conclude an agreement with that State, setting out the arrangements for its withdrawal, taking account of the framework for its future relationship with the Union. That agreement shall be negotiated in accordance with Article 218(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. It shall be concluded on behalf of the Union by the Council, acting by a qualified majority, after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament.The Treaties shall cease to apply to the State in question from the date of entry into force of the withdrawal agreement or, failing that, two years after the notification referred to in paragraph 2, unless the European Council, in agreement with the Member State concerned, unanimously decides to extend this period.

In conclusion, the date of leaving can be postpones by extending the negotiation period. Which requires consent of ALL 27 members.

Once article 50 is activated the date of leaving is definite, and simply follows from a set time table that part of the rules (i.e. european law).

The only formal way is rejoining is:
If a State which has withdrawn from the Union asks to rejoin, its request shall be subject to the procedure referred to in Article 49.”

Re: Non EU countries

I believe you are confusing two dissimilar situations.

My wife and I have been on holiday to the European continent a number of times including Germany (three or four holidays and a couple of choir visits), Netherlands, Belgium, France, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Czechia, Dubrovnik, Italy and (my wife only) Poland and Finland.

We have enjoyed each and every visit and enjoyed meeting very nice people, and look forward to doing exactly the same after we regain our independence from the EU.

The other side of the argument is the EU, who I regard as dictatorial, corrupt, greedy and uncompromising. My feeling is that we have been 'taken to the cleaners' ever since the EEC morphed into the politically biased EU.

Yes, the European people are our friends.

Conversely, the EU bureaucrats are our enemies.

I hope that makes my position clear to you.

Re: Non EU countries

Absolutely incorrect.

I certainly would not wish to have remained in the EU and a clear majority of the voters in the referendum agree with me.

Consider yourself shot down in flames.

Re: Non EU countries

http://ec.europa.eu/budget/explained/myths/myths_en.cfm

The beauty of the EU is that everything can be chequed because of the transparency rules. Try to find 1 untrue argument in the site of the above link.
I pity the british who believe that their situation will improve after the brexit. Of course you will feel (more) independent , but standing alone is not the same as being independent.

Re: Non EU countries

Alone no, 160 plus countries out there.