NationStates Jolt Archive

So late one night this week i was watching DW-TV(tv channel out of Berlin.. dont know why im getting it here in the suburbs of PA..but anyway) and a news show was on talking about Turkey and the EU. Why havent they joined yet? Why should they? Whats the big deal?

Another story..
One Of my friends from Norway and my Brit. friend were talking and the one from Norway was against her country joining while the brit kept saying they should join. Finaly she got annoyed and left the conversation. Why???

Whats so evil about the EU?

were all secretly a giant octopus haven’t you seen the BMP broadcast were an octopus attacks parliament!

People think it threatens thier country's economy etc.

The European Union is a communist conspiracy.

And you have to be white.

Or so one is led to believe from the press coverage. :rolleyes:

were all secretly a giant octopus haven’t you seen the BMP broadcast were an octopus attacks parliament!

Haha the BNP are more loony than the Monster Raving Loony Party (I love the MRLP !) !

People think it threatens thier country's economy etc.

So Norway won't join the EU. Brit man's pissed but won't adopt the Euro.

Um...what's up with that? But, anyhow, what he said.

So late one night this week i was watching DW-TV(tv channel out of Berlin.. dont know why im getting it here in the suburbs of PA..but anyway) and a news show was on talking about Turkey and the EU. Why havent they joined yet? Why should they? Whats the big deal?

Another story..
One Of my friends from Norway and my Brit. friend were talking and the one from Norway was against her country joining while the brit kept saying they should join. Finaly she got annoyed and left the conversation. Why???

Whats so evil about the EU?

The Norway case is not so surprising. Norway is the next to one wealthiest (relatively) country in the world. They would become netto contributors to the EU the moment they joined, so it's economically better to remain outside.

Turkey is a different case. When it joins it would we the odd duck in the pond. It's culture is most deviant from the 'average' European culture, it's economically significantly weaker than the average EU member, it's society is by many believed to be not 'mature' enough (examples are tortures in Turkish prisons, dominant role of the army, denial of Armenian genocide, position of the Kurds etc). So there is a strong opposition to Turkey's membership in the EU.

So Norway won't join the EU. Brit man's pissed but won't adopt the Euro.

Um...what's up with that? But, anyhow, what he said.
If you mean 'Brit Guy' is me, then I do accept the Euro ;)

So late one night this week i was watching DW-TV(tv channel out of Berlin.. dont know why im getting it here in the suburbs of PA..but anyway)Deutsche Welle is meant for a foreign audience ;)
and a news show was on talking about Turkey and the EU. Why havent they joined yet? Why should they? Whats the big deal?Turkey hasn't joined yet for many reasons, the foremost being economic constraints, human rights issues, and Turkey not recognizing Cyprus. Then there are a lot of people that don't consider the Turks European enough. It has everyone riled up.

If you mean 'Brit Guy' is me, then I do accept the Euro ;)
Yes, I realize that some Brits do support adopting the Euro, but its just easier to generalize and make a statement. Sorry 'bout that there.

I'm living in Finland, and I'm from America, and I met this British guy, and I can't understand a darn thing he says. I've been to to the UK before, and I knew what people were saying, but this guy is hardcore Brit. But, the colonies still love you, they really do. Again, not the entire country is like that. :D

Ha, I love the way most of us Brits claim that Americans 'speak wrong'. Well, yes, you do have different spellings and words, but fair enough - it's a dialect.
It's just over here we don't pronounce our 'r's properly - which Americans and people in the west-country do !
So don't let any Brits accuse you of speaking wrong !!

The 'r' thing isn't the only example. Just the only one I can think of right now !

The European Union is a communist conspiracy.

And you have to be white.

Or so one is led to believe from the press coverage. :rolleyes:

well goodness me, aren't all people except britains white athiest commie-nazis :rolleyes:

People think it threatens thier country's economy etc.

Britain's problem is that our Government follows all of the EU laws to the letter whereas countries like France turn a blind eye to some of the stupider and poorly thought out regulations.

France and Ireland are the main opposers to the Turkish entry into the EU and they do it out of self intrest. Ireland since joining the EU has done very well out of the subsidies and such other sundry economic benefits, which pulled their economy out of a serious problem. They fear that if Turkey joins, they wont get as much money any more as Turkey will need loads of it. France also fears it on a simmilar lines. France has one of the largest agricultural sectors in Europe, over 20% of their employ is in agriculture. They are worried that if Turkey joins (whose aggriculture sector is of a simmilar size) then they wont get as much out of the CAP any more, or that the CAP will be abolished all together. There is also the wider rinngings of human rights issues in Turkey, such as the posibility of adultery becomming a criminal offence and the extremely poor conditions of the mental health institutes. Add to that the worrying ammount of influence that Islamic fundimentalism has on their legal system and the outlawing of Christian prophsying, you can see why Turkish entry to the EU is hottly debated

well goodness me, aren't all people except britains white athiest commie-nazis :rolleyes:
Almost, but not quite...

France and Ireland are the main opposers to the Turkish entry into the EU and they do it out of self intrest. Ireland since joining the EU has done very well out of the subsidies and such other sundry economic benefits, which pulled their economy out of a serious problem. They fear that if Turkey joins, they wont get as much money any more as Turkey will need loads of it. France also fears it on a simmilar lines.

Yeah, something similar happened when Poland, Hungary, etc. recently joined the Union. Due to the cohesion funds politics, which gives a yearly percent of the communitary taxes to all members, Spain will lose an important boost of money. We've told it in Brussels, and France, Germany and Italy have accepted to renegotiate the funds distribution until 2014; but the UK rejects it, (they're happy with their 5,000 million € per year), so the negotiation sessions failed.

The EU is for Europe only right? ^_^

One could argue Turkey is in the Middle East and thus could not even join from it. Though it would be a poor arguement the EU is very powerful and should focus on uniting more of Europe instead of trying to get Turkey which has strong opposition against it already.

I'm undecided on whether Britain should join the EU. On one hand, i'd love a united Europe and most European countries are great. On the other hand, there are places like France which don't give a shit about anything apart from themselves.

For example, the French farmers get subsidised far far more per farmer than British ones by the EU. The reason? The French say it is 'to keep the beauty of France alive'. Yeah? Well, pay for it yourselves then - don't expect us, who you constantly look down upon for daring to being a more successful country, to fund your nationalistic snobbery.

Britain is in already in the EU(since 1973).

The EU is for Europe only right? ^_^

One could argue Turkey is in the Middle East and thus could not even join from it. Though it would be a poor arguement the EU is very powerful and should focus on uniting more of Europe instead of trying to get Turkey which has strong opposition against it already.

Yes, but one of the reasons for the EU is the historical union of the members, so you can't reject a country that once reached Germany's borders!

Britain is in already in the EU(since 1973).

Apologies - I got mixed up, I constantly hear people going on about whether or not we should join the Euro, and it makes me forget such things - of course we are in the EU or we wouldn't be forced to subsidise French farmers ;)

Apologies - I got mixed up, I constantly hear people going on about whether or not we should join the Euro, and it makes me forget such things - of course we are in the EU or we wouldn't be forced to subsidise French farmers ;)

Well good- I mean, who'd want to eat British Beef anyway?
:p Its all gone Mad! :D Yay Frenchies!

Yes, but one of the reasons for the EU is the historical union of the members, so you can't reject a country that once reached Germany's borders!
I read somewhere that while celebrating Napoleon's last battle or something, during a reinactment, I forget the name now, that there were not French or British. There was a red and blue team...I don't think that's how Europe should be uniting, but then again, it was in an American publication. I dunno if it was accurate.

So, the historical aspect of Europe won't devolve into this:
"The 'reds' once had an empire where the sun never set."

Knowledgable European please verify!

I read somewhere that while celebrating Napoleon's last battle or something, during a reinactment, I forget the name now, that there were not French or British. There was a red and blue team...I don't think that's how Europe should be uniting, but then again, it was in an American publication. I dunno if it was accurate.

So, the historical aspect of Europe won't devolve into this:
"The 'reds' once had an empire where the sun never set."

Knowledgable European please verify!

I heard of this, I think was when they were celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, a sea battle where a severly outnumbered British Navy ended any possiblity of Napoleon conquering Britain by defeating the French and Spanish ships.

I suppose they didn't want to piss off the French and Spanish. Personally i'm not that bothered but it does seem a bit petty - you can bet that if the French had ever won a battle where they didn't outnumber the British they'd be making a big song and dance of it. It's a good thing they have such a poor military history.

I read somewhere that while celebrating Napoleon's last battle or something, during a reinactment, I forget the name now, that there were not French or British. There was a red and blue team...I don't think that's how Europe should be uniting, but then again, it was in an American publication. I dunno if it was accurate.

So, the historical aspect of Europe won't devolve into this:
"The 'reds' once had an empire where the sun never set."

Knowledgable European please verify!

I have not heard about that but, if so, it is a watered down festival.

Ah, the Trafalgar recreation?? I saw the teams made by countries, not colours...

Maybe it was the Naval battle...it was so long ago. I'm pretty sure thats right. It must have been a fairly recent one to not provoke...um, resentment.

Yes, Trafalgar too. Well, thats good their not colors.

Glad to hear that! Damn NEWSWEEK!

EDIT: Missed a post.

Well according to the sunday times yesterday the EU is reconsidering turkey, I didn't actually have time to read the article.

Personally I'm not to sure whether they should be allowed join, The difference in culture, religion and politics is just to great. Also they're population is huge......

Perhaps abiding by the human rights sanctioned by the UN should be a minimum requirement for any nation to join such a union.

http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=7192856#post7192856