Friday, February 19, 2016

The EU's concessionary deal with Britain

The Latin American Herald Tribune reports on the EU capitulation to British nationalism in the agreement just made (EU Leaders Reach Deal Aimed at Averting British Exit 02/19/82016):

The draft [agreement] includes a provision allowing Britain to apply an “emergency brake” on benefit payments to immigrants from other EU countries.

While Cameron originally sought a “brake” lasting 13 years, resistance from Eastern European countries – a major source of inexpensive migrant labor for Britain – forced him to settle for seven years.

On the question of sovereignty, the text recognizes that Britain, which stands outside the eurozone, “is not committed to further political integration in the European Union ... References to ever-closer union do not apply to the United Kingdom.”

Cameron also won assurances that the EU would not seek to impose eurozone financial regulation on the City of London, Britain’s Wall Street.

“This deal has delivered on the commitments I made at the start of this process. Britain will be permanently out of ever-closer union, never part of a European super-state, there will be tough new restrictions to our welfare system for EU migrants – no more something for nothing – Britain will never join the euro and we’ve secure vital protections for our economy,” Cameron said. [my emphasis]
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras tweeted (02/19): "EU at a critical crossroads: without solidarity, without sharing burdens and responsibility, it faces the risk of reaching a dead-end. #EUCO"

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