CATALONIA -- Catalan News Agency - ‘The Economist’: “it is wrong to insinuate” that Scotland and Catalonia “could never join the EU”

Catalan News Agency - ‘The Economist’: “it is wrong to insinuate” that Scotland and Catalonia “could never join the EU”

‘The Economist’: “it is wrong to insinuate” that Scotland and Catalonia “could never join the EU”

CNA

London (ACN).- “The prestigious
publication reacted to the speculations on the inclusion of independent
Catalonia and Scotland in the EU. “It is wrong to insinuate that newly
independent states could never join the EU”, stated ‘The Economist’ in
its latest edition. However, the British magazine also stressed that
these two cases have no precedents in Europe and therefore warned that
it would be “dishonest to pretend that accession would be quick or easy”
for the two nations. Indeed, according to the EU officials quoted in
the article, “it would take at least four to five years to negotiate and
ratify” Catalonia and Scotland’s EU full-right membership. Besides,
“there will be no instant betrothal to the EU, no dowry from Brussels -
and no cheques guaranteed by other central banks”. The Economist also
scolds the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Durão
Barroso, for having compared the “peaceful referendums in western
Europe” to the “violent break-up of a Balkan country” during his visit
to London last week-end. ‘The Economist’ considered that Barroso was
taking sides and working against Scotland’s and Catalonia’s
independence, and demanded him to “assess accession applications
impartially”.

In the article entitled Homage to Caledonia
(as a reference to George Orwell’s ‘Homage to Catalonia’ and linking it
to Scotland), ‘The Economist’ examines the circumstances surrounding
the processes for independence in Catalonia and Scotland, and delves
into the hypothetical European Union membership of these two territories
as independent states.
“It is wrong to insinuate that newly
independent states could never join the EU” stated the article which is
doubtful that “Montenegro and Macedonia” would actually “be admitted
faster than Scotland and Catalonia, which already apply the EU’s
rules”.  However, ‘The Economist’ believes “it is still more dishonest
to pretend that accession would be quick or easy, even in the best of
circumstances”. The article also highlighted that the Catalan and
Scottish cases were the first of a kind in the history of the EU: “A
split would be unprecedented, even though several EU members were born
of earlier secessions”.

Catalonia’s and Scotland’s EU membership would take “at least four to five years”

The article quotes “EU officials”, who state that “it
would take at least four to five years to negotiate and ratify the
accession of Scotland and Catalonia”. However ‘The Economist’ warned
that “divorce means breakaways must live as singles, at least for a
time” and that “there will be no instant betrothal to the EU, no dowry
from Brussels - and no cheques guaranteed by other central banks” if the
two territories achieve independence. “Scary or liberating, that is the
meaning of independence” concludes the article.

But “in the end, the EU cannot turn down a breakaway region”

According to the British financial magazine, much
depends on whether the separation is “amicable”, and the outcome
“respected and accepted”. Scottish accession could happen “faster” for
instance, because of the agreement between London and Edinburgh whereas
Spain’s “refusal to permit a referendum in Catalonia suggests it
realises that, in the end, the EU cannot turn down a breakaway region”.  

Barroso should “assess accession applications impartially”


‘The Economist’ scolded the President of the European Commission, Jose
Manuel Durão Barroso, for recently stating that it would be “extremely
difficult, if not impossible” for Scotland to join the EU and for
drawing comparisons with the former-Yugoslavian states’ independence.
Barroso referred to the Kosovo case, stressing that Spain has not
recognised the new country and, according to him, it will likely do the
same with Scotland. The British magazine reproachfully pointed out that
“Mr Barroso claimed he did not want to interfere in the Scottish debate
but that is what he did - and he may have gone too far”.
“As
the man who runs the Commission, he is entitled to set out his views of
European law. But he should not judge the likelihood of a successful
application” or “speak on behalf of Spain” since “the Commission’s job
is to assess accession applications impartially” explained ‘The
Economist’.
Cameron’s is “admired” in Catalonia for “letting Scotland vote”

The article explains that the British Prime Minister David Cameron “is
admired in Catalonia” for “letting Scotland vote in September on
independence from the United Kingdom”. The publication also recalls that
Catalans plan on holding their own self-determination referendum two
months after Scotland’s “although Spain’s Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy,
has vowed to stop it”. It is “proof, say Catalan nationalists, of
Britain’s deep democracy and Spain’s lingering authoritarianism”, states
the article.

More on

Catalan Government, Catalan Independence, David Cameron, Democracy, Durao Barroso, EU Membership, European Commission, European Union, Independence, International Relations, Referendum, Scotland, Self-Determination, Spanish Government, The Economist, UK, United Kingdom, Vote

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A picture from 'The Economist' website featuring the article 'Homage to Caledonia' (by The Economist)

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