Croatia OK: Scotland, Catalonia out

EU: Breaking Bad

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New Europe

22/09/2013 - 1:33am

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The European Commission Vice President, Joaquín Almunia, delivered a blow to separatist movements across Europe, saying that breakaway regions or countries would not automatically retain their EU status should they effectively secede from the union, through their withdrawal from existing member states.

Speaking on 16 September, the Spanish commissioner said “if one part of a territory of a member state decides to separate, the separated part isn't a member of the European Union,” during a conference in Barcelona, the capital of Spain's Catalan region.

In recent years, Catalonia has seen it's own independence movement swell in numbers, and Almunia's remark's were clearly meant as a signal to the region, which is keen to break away from rule by Madrid. 

However, despite the apparent reluctance by the European Commission to support independence movements in members states, it is still keen to embrace enlargement. 

On 17 September, commission president, Jose Manuel Barroso, said that Albania could be granted candidate status – the point at which formal negotiations to become an EU member can be opened – by the end of the year. On 1 July this year, Croatia was welcomed as the 28th member of the EU. Almost immediately, the country became embroiled in an argument with Brussels over its application of the European Arrest Warrant. The European Commission has levelled proceedings against the country. On 18 September, it threatened to withhold €80 million of funding for the country until the matter is resolved.

Until now, the commission has been reluctant to directly address the issue of countries or regions voting to leave the union. However, recent comments by a senior commission spokesperson seemed to back Almunia's assessment of the situation, saying that they are “in line” with the commission's position, and legally, a breakaway region would not be covered by the existing treaties. The comments by Almunia  have led to speculation that there is serious concern about possible Catalan independence in EU circles. This is something officially denied by Brussels, which places this as a matter for individual countries.

The comments also come in the same week that marks a year to the independence referendum in Scotland, which will be held on 18 September 2014. Speaking to New Europe, Scottish National Party MEP, Alyn Smith, played down fears that this would alter the outcome of the vote. Instead, he was confident that the debate will pick-up over the next twelve months, and result in an independent Scotland.

The MEP said that his party, who remain pro-EU, want an independent Scotland to be part of the EU.         new europe