Democracy Impacts

British NGO: UK Should Leave EU Customs Union

April 03, 2017

The British nongovernmental organization Open Europe has called for the UK to fully leave the EU Customs Union in order to secure full independence with respect to its trade policy, rather than seek a “half-in, half-out” approach supported by some politicians and commentators.
MEPs Take on "Bad Cop" Position in Brexit Talks

April 03, 2017

A Politico article highlights how some Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are planning to use the body's veto power over any Brexit deal to place pressure on the UK to pay a substantial "divorce bill" upon exiting the EU, remain within the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the EU, and maintain existing rights of EU migrants to enter the UK.
MEPs Warn UK on Migration Cut-off

April 03, 2017

Politico reports that Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have threatened to veto any Brexit deal permitting the UK to adopt new conditions for the entry of EU migrants, including not guaranteeing them the same rights as others in the country to live and work, prior to the date on which it leaves the EU.
Austria Seeks EU Permission to Avoid Migrant Resettlement

April 03, 2017

Politico reports that Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern has stated he will seek an EU exemption permitting Austria to avoid mandates requiring the country to take in more asylum seekers, arguing that his country has already fulfilled its obligations to accept migrants under EU resettlement rules.
UKIP Sets out Demands for Brexit

April 03, 2017

The BBC reports that the UK Independence Party (UKIP), which has no Members of the UK Parliament but could influence negotiations through its 20 Members of the European Parliament, has published six tests for whether it will support the British Government's final Brexit deal with the EU, including demands for full border control and "maritime sovereignty."
Party Official: UK-EU Deal Must Maintain "Same Benefits"

March 31, 2017

The UK Labour Party's Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer's six-part test for evaluating whether the party can support the UK government's final post-Brexit deal with the EU includes whether the deal maintains the "exact same benefits" Britain currently has as a member of the EU "single market" and customs union.
Newspaper: Britain Must Trash EU "Red Tape"

March 31, 2017

The British newspaper The Telegraph has launched a campaign to pressure the UK government to use the occasion of leaving the EU to rid the country of "needless EU regulations," including the bloc's working time directive and some environmental standards, that restrain economic freedom in the country.
Countries Weigh Participation in EU Financial Tax

March 31, 2017

Bloomberg reports that the proposal for an EU financial transactions tax, which requires the agreement of nine countries to be implemented under the bloc's "enhanced cooperation" procedure, is facing its potential demise as Belgium, Slovenia, and Slovakia consult their parliaments on continued participation in the legislation.
EU Committee Seeks Common Health Policy

March 30, 2017

EurActiv reports that the EU Committee of the Regions has called on EU institutions to address a "disparity" in the quality of national health systems by working toward the harmonization, and centralization, of European health policy in Brussels.
Poland Threatens Action over EU "Multi-Speed" Policy

March 30, 2017

Bloomberg reports that, prior to the recent EU summit celebrating the 60th anniversary of the bloc in Rome, Prime Minister of Poland Beata Szydlo pledged not to sign any multilateral document committing the EU to a "multi-speed" model permitting part of the bloc to federalize at a faster rate than others.