Do you support the continued enlargement of the European Union?

[Deleted]

Because it allows Britain to actually have a say in the decisions made in Europe? If Britain is outside EU, then EU will obviously make decisions that are advantageous to EU even if they're disadvantageous to Britain. It also means British companies will not have the same access to the hundreds of millions of consumers in Europe as EU companies do. When times get tough, import taxes will be put on imports from outside of EU to support EU producers. This guy's argument that you can be a part of free trade blocs even outside EU is mistaken, there's no automatic right to join these pacts, the EU countries might well decide that it's all or nothing and don't allow freeloaders pick and choose what they join.

All or nothing? Sounds like an ultimatum, nothing good ever came from those. Both world wars were caused by ultimatums.

[RüneRS]

The reason many are wary is because if Turkey would join the EU they would have almost as much to say as Germany due to population numbers and economy.
And personally I don't trust their leaders. I wouldn't be surprised if Turkey was aiming to take control of the entire EU in the long run.

Take of that tinfoil hat

[Deleted]

All or nothing? Sounds like an ultimatum, nothing good ever came from those. Both world wars were caused by ultimatums.

It's not an ultimatum. There are many aspects to building a common market, not all of those are positive. Infrastructure must be built in less well off countries etc., you can't expect to just take part in the positive effects when the rest are paying for creating them. It's perfectly legitimate to say that you can take part in this effort, or stay completely outside of it.

[Elegiac]

Take of that tinfoil hat

Doesn't change the fact that Turkey as a highly Islamic country is not culturally suited to the European Union. Also, the whole Cyprus thing.

[Duridi]

Eh, as far as I know, Norway wants nothing to do with the EU.

[Reeve]

Doesn't change the fact that Turkey as a highly Islamic country is not culturally suited to the European Union. Also, the whole Cyprus thing.

I think it's better to have an Islamic country brought into the fold and treated as equals than it is to encourage an "us and them" attitude. If you view them as the "other," they'll behave that way.

[Elegiac]

I think it's better to have an Islamic country brought into the fold and treated as equals than it is to encourage an "us and them" attitude. If you view them as the "other," they'll behave that way.

But they are the "other". Europe is for Europeanised countries.

[Seref]

European Union?

@Didactic: Turkey is the most westernized islamic country in the world. And it is probably more westernized than half of those so called "Europeanised countries."

Turkey is in the top 3 of the most promiscuous countries in the world. How is that for westernized :P

[Rukentuts]

Doesn't change the fact that Turkey as a highly Islamic country is not culturally suited to the European Union. Also, the whole Cyprus thing.

I don't know this "Cyprus thing", but I do know that disqualifying a country based on their theology seems a little primitive. A bunch of different viewpoints and cultures make up the EU, and I don't see a problem on their representation in the EU.

---------- Post added 2012-11-09 at 12:43 PM ----------

But they are the "other". Europe is for Europeanised countries.

Yeah, this is what I mean. This statement sounds primitive. Being "others" really isn't a valid rationale for exclusion.

[Reeve]

But they are the "other". Europe is for Europeanised countries.

And as long as you keep them out, they won't become Europeanized.

[Deleted]

The only other solution is for the Islamic states to form their own union, not an idea I would relish.

[Rixis]

97% of Turkey isn't even in Europe though. (Not that I care either way for anyone's inclusion/exclusion)

[Reeve]

97% of Turkey isn't even in Europe though. (Not that I care either way for anyone's inclusion/exclusion)

I just looked this up. I never realized that part of Kazakhstan was in Europe!

[Rukentuts]

The only other solution is for the Islamic states to form their own union, not an idea I would relish.

They could just join this one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_League

[Pancha]

Norway won't join EU anytime soon, unless Jens Stoltenberg secretly writes under on some papers. The general consensus in Norway is against it, and has voted no in 2 previous votes.

[Reeve]

They could just join this one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_League

Many Islamic nations aren't Arab. They'd need to change the name if they wanted to become more inclusive.

[Ghempe]

What Pancha said. This would also be the worst time ever to join.

[Rukentuts]

Many Islamic nations aren't Arab. They'd need to change the name if they wanted to become more inclusive.

True, when we think of Arabs we think of the Middle East. But they do extend pretty much across Northern Africa, and pretty much right up to Turkey.

[Reeve]

True, when we think of Arabs we think of the Middle East. But they do extend pretty much across Northern Africa, and pretty much right up to Turkey.

Yes, but not including Turkey, which has fewer Arabs than the USA.

[Wikiy]

Britain should leave the EU, it is not benefiting us at all.

<snip video>

This guy explains it better than I ever could, I agree with him completely.

Well, for one thing, he says the UK pays a "staggering amount of money" to the EU. It's actually 14 billion, and minus the 6 that you get back, it's 8 billion. That's 0.35% of your GDP. Not exactly a staggering amount.

I also love his comment about Britain not being in Europe, because, get this (and he didn't actually says this), it's not connected with it by land mass (there's a huge gap of 35 kilometers).

If there's one criterion by which the UK is 100% in Europe, it's of geographic nature. Hell, NO ONE ever refutes that Iceland is in Europe.

Don't get me wrong though. I fully support the UK leaving if that's what you want.

Anyway, for the moment enlargement of the EU isn't such a good idea. Let's first get our shit back in order and then think of enlargement.

I know the economic situation is a far bigger priority than enlargement. That's the thing though. That fact (euroskepticism associated with it) directly effects people's standing on enlargement, and i was just wondering. ^^

The reason many are wary is because if Turkey would join the EU they would have almost as much to say as Germany due to population numbers and economy.

Is that a bad thing? You know, at one point in history, Germans weren't trusted either.

And personally I don't trust their leaders. I wouldn't be surprised if Turkey was aiming to take control of the entire EU in the long run.

You know, that sounds a bit like a conspiracy theory (not threatening you xD), and definitely like a stretch.

All or nothing? Sounds like an ultimatum, nothing good ever came from those. Both world wars were caused by ultimatums.

Doesn't mean it isn't reality. Some of us really do believe (you may call me naive, too idealistic and futuristic or whatever, but it is what i believe) that countries will just keep uniting more and more now. I'm not saying a divided Europe would be necessarily worse, just that it's necessarily unrealistic in my opinion.

97% of Turkey isn't even in Europe though. (Not that I care either way for anyone's inclusion/exclusion)

Technically, a country doesn't need to be European for the EU to accept its application. Besides, the current borders of Europe have as much to do with history and politics as they have with geography. And i'd say when considering how European a country is, you'd have to consider its historic and political aspects as well as geography.