EU's RELATIONS WITH THE WORLD

Yesterday you got my overview of the Brexit situation.  Some people think that the EU after the UK left as a member does not mean very much, does not have much influence – and should instead start a new strategy with cooperation with countries around the world, incl. the Commonwealth.


To those people I want to say:  Either this assertation is put forward to stimulate the discussion for the sake of the discussion.  Or it is an effort to start a discussion far away from the realities ☹


This inspires me to make a brief overview of the role of the EU in the world. Today I will do it point by point.  Later I will go into more details on some of the points:

1.      EU is with its 466 mio. inhabitants one of the most interesting markets in the world. This was also what the Brits were told by f.ex. Australia and India, when they tried to make these countries particularly interested in their market with 66 mio. people.

2.      EU is negotiating with a number of European countries about their future membership of the EU. According to the EU Treaties any European country can become a member, if it fulfils the conditions for membership.  The ongoing negotiations are with countries on the Balkans: Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.

3.      EU’s currency, the EURO, is the second biggest reserve currency in the world. Altogether 19 EU-member states ( with 342 mio. inhabitants ) have the EURO as their currency today. And 7 other EU countries will have it, when the conditions are fulfilled.  See enclosed map.   Coming member states will be obliged to use the EURO.

4.      EU has 41 trade agreements – covering 72 countries. This is the biggest trade network in the world. These agreements give the companies in all EU countries a common platform to work on.

5.      EU is the centre of the EEA – the European Economic Area. It includes the 27 EU countries, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein.  See enclosed map.

6.      EU is also at the centre of the so-called Neighbourhood Partnership network. It consists of close cooperation agreements with EU’s neighbours to the east and to the south of the Mediterranean.  See enclosed map.

7.      EU – which is the biggest contributor of assistance to the developing countries – has since 1975 a close cooperation with 79 ACP-countries  ( in Africa, Caribbean and the Pacific ). They have a total population of 1,1 billion people.

8.      EU has recently with success negotiated an agreement with the Mercosur countries in South America – Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.  They have 553 mio. inhabitants.

9.      EU’s active connections with countries all over the world are also reflected by the fact that EU has 140 Delegations ( “embassies” ) around the world.  And also by the fact the most of the 184 diplomatic representations in Brussels are there to ensure cooperation with the EU.

When the Brexit situation is concerned it is important to point out, that the United Kingdom – as non-member of the EU – no longer is part of and can benefit from these agreements and networks.



What does the EU then use all its active connections with the outside world for ?  I will come back to that in the coming days.