Brussels is looking fixedly at the Scottish referendum. A spin-off of the country by the British could seduce imitators throughout Europe to similar radical steps – England and drive them out of the EU.
In Brussels there are fans of Scotland’s independence: Flemish MEP fighting for a long time for the elimination of the Flanders region of Belgium, have decorated their offices with Scottish flags. A Flemish brewery offers even a “Yes Beer” in honor of the “Yes” -Autonomiebewegung on the island.
But in the EU institutions that may hardly taste someone so pretty. Officials fear two possible consequences of Scottish independence:
* a signal to similar movements in many Member States
* Backing for anti-Europeans in England
“There could be a domino effect within the EU,” says a senior official. Because economically more prosperous regions pushing for secession – as the Flemings, Catalans or South Tyrol – this Be moved the markets in Alarm Mood: Investors fear that EU members such as Spain, Belgium or Italy without these prosperous regions could no longer serve their horrendous debt .
In fact, the vote is expected on Thursday have a signaling effect, even if the independence supporters should lose. Even the Catalans want early November to hold a referendum own.
In Alto Adige, the Veneto Region or the Basque country, the demands of the secessionists for similar Voters are also louder. In Belgium, the Flemish crowd already hold more independence.
“If the secession of Scotland and its inclusion in the EU go easy on the stage, these groups will always be able to refer to the positive example,” said Janis Emmanouilidis of the European Policy Centre in Brussels.
Scotland Referandum 2014:Strengthening British Eurosceptics
However, the impact on British politics make the Eurocrats worry. Some conservative British MPs call in the event of Scottish secession for the resignation of British Prime Minister David Cameron, even if that has excluded such a step.
The consequences of a Scottish secession on the British influence in the EU would be substantial: the UK would have lost about a third of its land mass, two thirds of its territory in the North Sea. Its population would suddenly smaller than the Italian.
Generally Cameron’s Tories have, as most Scottish MPs of the Labour opposition members at a stroke better chances of victory in the coming year. Win the Tories, it would in any case 2017 at a referendum on the possible withdrawal of the remaining rest of the UK from the EU.
And such a step could the British economy – and the world’s markets – shake more than the parting of Scotland.
Scotland Referandum 2014:Peace offering to PM David Cameron
This explains that hold in Brussels many a united kingdom under Cameron’s leadership long for the best output – even if the Briton often annoying than EU-critics. The new Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has forgotten Cameron’s stiff opposition to his appointment and this is a peace offering presented: The Luxembourg missed the important area of financial market regulation in the next EU-Commission to the British Jonathan Hill.
Although immediately put a criticism, because Hill has worked around two decades as a lobbyist for the financial industry. The Green MEP Sven Giegold spoke of an “intolerable provocation” and his SPD colleague Jakob von Weizsäcker rebelled:. “If one wants to benefit from London’s financial expertise, you should definitely not choose a financial lobbyists”
The hearings in the European Parliament Hill must still survive, but in many EU capitals, the tendency to a new dispute with London is low. In Berlin Treasury says about, we do not know Hill, but with financial markets this is surely familiar. In addition, they wanted these days Cameron snub in any case, which must eventually hold his country together – the Premier is currently regarded simply as the lesser evil.
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