On 🇪🇺 & 🇬🇧 & 🇳🇴 & 🦄🦄🦄
May 2019 bring much 🎂 to have & eat!
Due thanks @SebDance for inspiration
#HappyNewYear2019
'#NorwayPlus'
assumedly to make it more alluring?
@USverdrup, Director at Norwegian Institute of International Affairs @NUPInytt noted to the 🇳🇴 @Aftenposten daily:
“If you stand at the edge
you no longer seek the best solution”
Did any Central & Eastern European country joining 🇪🇺 2004
1st knock @EFTAsecretariat's door
as their preferred ‘solution’ for #SingleMarket access?
#EFTA & the #EEA Agreement it administers
= a barren 🏜️ for #democracy
A truly grey Brussels #bureaucracy.
#Brexit was alleged to yield more democracy
less bureaucracy, right?
🇬🇧 joining #EEA = unattractive for #Norway 🇳🇴
The ‘#EFTA’ side 🇳🇴🇮🇸🇱🇮 normally unanimously adopts #SingleMarket regulation 1-2 years after it’s agreed by 🇪🇺
#EEA unanimity has seldom been a matter of concern for 🇳🇴
🇳🇴 has indeed itself at times questioned and even delayed incoming 🇪🇺 laws
but it has never refused.
The consequences are deemed too dire for its #SingleMarket access
e.g. against 🇳🇴 #salmon/#fishfarms 🐟
The same would be true should 🇳🇴🇮🇸🇱🇮 use the so-called #EEA ‘security clause’
placing #FreeMovement of persons on hold
In short: No deviations please ⚠️
as it avoids #democratic processes & related hiccups
As the Americans 🇺🇲 say:
If it ain’t broke,
don’t fix it
With #Brexit #Britain 🇬🇧 crashing in the grey door of EFTA #bureaucracy
drunk on defiance
the EEA Agreement would no doubt swiftly be 'broke'
Adopting #laws ⚖️ with no say
but as #Brexit shows
it would also jeopardise critical #trade relations
🇳🇴 politicians know
alternatives = twofold only:
into 🇪🇺
or crashing out
Sounds familiar? #NoDeal
🇬🇧 not welcome in #EFTA
Regardless:
Does 🇬🇧 truly wish to be at 🇳🇴 mercy in its most important #trade relationship?
‘#NorwayPlus’ – is that now the ambition of 🇬🇧
...begging entry to a #bureaucratic place
where nobody makes real decisions? 🤔
As I explained @Independent:
independent.co.uk/voices/brexit-…
‘Our’ 1994 🇪🇺 #referendum has entailed 1/4 century of democratic silence
Silence on how a vast number of our laws are shaped
#Britain voted to be splendid not in isolation
but in illusion
It's a political arena
Where decisions are made
Our future defined
Young Brits now realise they’re lied to
How #Brexit takes their future out of their hands
It’s not too late!
Don’t allow your country to slide into apathy
Break the illusion
Have your say!
Help the 🦄🦄 toward extinction
Demand a #PeoplesVote
Here's to the heroes @PeoplesVote_UK/@PeoplesVote_HQ 🥂🍾
#HappyNewYear!
& if you didn't have enough 🎂
read my 2016 @EurActiv piece too:
euractiv.com/section/uk-eur…