Secessions mean Loss of EU membership
May 12, 2008
On May 6th, Wendy Brown, the leader of the Scottish Labour Party, has announced that she wants a referendum on Scottish independence. She hopes thereby to enhance the poor standing of her party compared to the Scottish Nationalist Party. Most probably such a referendum will never take place, and if it did, a majority would vote against. Only a quarter of the Scottish electorate is in favour of independence, according to recent polls.
In Belgium, a secession of Flanders from the rest of the country is no more serious than in Scotland. Flemish nationalists use the threat of secession to obtain concessions at the federal level. They have never clearly explained what advantages Flemish independence would have for Flemish citizens.
Looking at Catalonia, the other major region in Europe with an ongoing debate on secession, one would also find that the issue is more one of politicians vying for popularity than for citizens directly concerned.
Regional politicians never seem to have bothered about the European and international implications of secession. Assuming these three secessions – Scotland, Flanders and Catalonia – to take place, they would not automatically become EU member states but would have to formally apply for it like any third country. Decisions on EU membership require unanimity of all EU member states. It is almost certain that no seceding region will obtain such unanimity. Any additional member state impairs the rights of the present members, if only by being entitled to designate a member to the EU Commission. Why should Germany or France concede Belgium two Commissioners for no other reason but the whims of local politicians? Why should any member state wish to complicate EU decision making even more?
Flanders would also have to ask for admission as a UN member country? This requires a consenting vote by the General Assembly, which cannot be taken for granted either.
In conclusion, Belgian, Spanish and Scottish citizens can sleep quietly. Secession of parts of their country will be next to impossible short of a “revolution”. They would sleep even more quietly if the European Council were to adopt a solemn declaration expressing the firm intention of all EU member states not to grant membership to any secessionist region. It should do so without much delay so as to put an end to this type of populist debates.
Good luck then to an independent Flanders, which is not a member country of the European Union.
Author : Eberhard RheinComments
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I think this looks a bit tall. Germany did not have to re-apply when it became a single polity with East-Germany. Should Belgium or the United Kingdom break up all new states would be legal successors of the former polity. I think it would be a very bad European policy if the EU would try to blackmail citizens with the possible loss of EU membership should they change the polity they live in.