Norwegian Support for EU Membership Hits 15-Year High! - in 2015, only 18% supported joining the EU, while 72% opposed-a staggering net of 54%.
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/44073775
Today's numbers reflect a significant change in public opinion on EU accession.
The transition would be minimal. We already adopt EU laws and standards (or their equivalent) in our own laws, we're a part of ACER, EFTA and Schengen, as well as numerous intelligence and police partnerships. The top leadership of the EU considers the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund a casus belli and is strictly hands off. We're pretty much all in already, only that we don't have a seat in the European parliament. I'm struggling to find arguments against membership.
I came here to ask that actually, as someone not very well versed - what would the argument against be
The only arguments against joining the EU I've heard so far from staunchly anti-EU people are variations of "we'll be ruled from Brussels", "the EU will take all our money", "we'll be flooded with foreigners" and "we'll lose our culture".
The response to these claims:
We won't be ruled any more from Brussels than France, Spain or Hungary is. All these countries have their own methods and unique sets of laws you have to familiarise yourself with before moving there. The EU won't take our money any more than any other member; it's a mutually beneficial transaction. We're already a part of the EEA and Schengen so anyone in the EU has the right to live and work in Norway, just as Norwegians enjoy the same rights. I've visited most countries in the EU, and can't say I got the impression that any of their unique cultures were under threat. We stayed in normal residential areas, far from the touristy parts of town, and could clearly see the unique characteristics of each place we went to.
The biggest difference would probably be changing the currency to Euros.
Pretty much, though that's not a requirement either. Sweden and Denmark still have their kroner, the Czechs have their koruna and Hungarians their forints. The euro is legal tender in all of these countries, but it's also legal tender in most parts of Norway already. 😂
All EU countries are supposed to eventually adopt the euro, including Sweden. Only Denmark has negotiated the right to not adopt the euro(unless they want to). So while countries can delay the euro adoption(indefinitely?), they are obligated to adopt it.
I think you don't know what legal tender means. Speaking for Czechia, although euro might be accepted in some supermarkets and tourist oriented businesses, the legal tender is Czech koruna. I strongly suspect it's similar in other non-eurozone countries.
I stand corrected. I do know what legal tender means, and thought that the Euro was required to be accepted in all of the EU. Not any less confusing when your neighbours in Slovakia use the Euro and we were visiting Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia in the same trip. Good beer, btw.