Poll: Majority in Iceland now for EU-membership

[Јas]

A good chunk of Kazakhstan is west of the Urals.  Could it be part of the EU?

Given that Turkey is only partially in Europe, and is on the path to membership, presumably similarly Kazakhstan also meets the requirements.

The Council of Europe have accepted that their partial presence in Europe meets their geographical requirements for membership.

Streching for other points, their football teams participate in European, rather than Asian, competitions.

All in all, I'd imagine they can make a reasonable claim for meeting the EU's geographaic requirement.

[True Democrat]

They need to rename the European Union if they are going to let countries that aren't even part of Europe in.

Oddly enough, being geographically in Europe isn't actually a requirement to join.

Per what is now (IIRC) Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union, only European states may apply to join. Also worth nmoting that not being European was the reason given for rejecting Morocco's application in the 80's.

geographically speaking Iceland is only half on the Eurasian tectonic plate where as the western half is part of the North American plate, so really something like 90% of Iceland's population lives in North America (only using very broad terms though). Though using this definition parts of Russia and Japan would also be included in North America. link: http://www.iris.edu/seismon/imgs/plates.gif

Well, the definition of European (in terms of potential for EU membership) is probably as important in the cultural sense as in the geographic sense.

It says only European states may join, but I always thought that this was not actually defined in the treaty.  I know Morocco was rejected for not being in Europe, but I didn't think the geography was really the reason, though I could very well be wrong.

I think there's a difference between a country being in Europe geographically and being a European country, if that makes any sense.

[Хahar 🤔]

Georgia is certainly European, so I think it's cultural more than anything.

[GMantis]

I think if the question was "Do you want Iceland to join the EU, knowing that this would deprive us of our favourable fishing rights?" the vast majority would be against.

Georgia is certainly European, so I think it's cultural more than anything.

Georgia is unlikely to become a member until they have solved their separatism problems and that won't be any time soon.

[Хahar 🤔]

I think if the question was "Do you want Iceland to join the EU, knowing that this would deprive us of our favourable fishing rights?" the vast majority would be against.

Georgia is certainly European, so I think it's cultural more than anything.

Georgia is unlikely to become a member until they have solved their separatism problems and that won't be any time soon.

That's true, but if it was stable, it would be accepted.

[Bono]

I think if the question was "Do you want Iceland to join the EU, knowing that this would deprive us of our favourable fishing rights?" the vast majority would be against.

Georgia is certainly European, so I think it's cultural more than anything.

Georgia is unlikely to become a member until they have solved their separatism problems and that won't be any time soon.

Cyprus has much worse problems and it was accepted.

[minionofmidas]

I think if the question was "Do you want Iceland to join the EU, knowing that this would deprive us of our favourable fishing rights?" the vast majority would be against.

Georgia is certainly European, so I think it's cultural more than anything.

Georgia is unlikely to become a member until they have solved their separatism problems and that won't be any time soon.

Cyprus has much worse problems and it was accepted.

That was due to blackmail.

[GMantis]

I think if the question was "Do you want Iceland to join the EU, knowing that this would deprive us of our favourable fishing rights?" the vast majority would be against.

Georgia is certainly European, so I think it's cultural more than anything.

Georgia is unlikely to become a member until they have solved their separatism problems and that won't be any time soon.

Cyprus has much worse problems and it was accepted.

That was due to blackmail.

I don't understand you. Who was blackmailed by whom?
Bono, Georgia actually had a war over both separatist territories about ten years ago, and there are still clashes and high tension. Cyprus has more or less settled down.

[minionofmidas]

I think if the question was "Do you want Iceland to join the EU, knowing that this would deprive us of our favourable fishing rights?" the vast majority would be against.

Georgia is certainly European, so I think it's cultural more than anything.

Georgia is unlikely to become a member until they have solved their separatism problems and that won't be any time soon.

Cyprus has much worse problems and it was accepted.

That was due to blackmail.

I don't understand you. Who was blackmailed by whom?
Bono, Georgia actually had a war over both separatist territories about ten years ago, and there are still clashes and high tension. Cyprus has more or less settled down.

The EU was blackmailed by Greece. Cyprus was included largely to prevent a Greek veto of Eastern expansion.

[GMantis]

I think if the question was "Do you want Iceland to join the EU, knowing that this would deprive us of our favourable fishing rights?" the vast majority would be against.

Georgia is certainly European, so I think it's cultural more than anything.

Georgia is unlikely to become a member until they have solved their separatism problems and that won't be any time soon.

Cyprus has much worse problems and it was accepted.

That was due to blackmail.

I don't understand you. Who was blackmailed by whom?
Bono, Georgia actually had a war over both separatist territories about ten years ago, and there are still clashes and high tension. Cyprus has more or less settled down.

The EU was blackmailed by Greece. Cyprus was included largely to prevent a Greek veto of Eastern expansion.

Well, Cyprus also had a much better economy than some other countries which joined recently.

[minionofmidas]

I think if the question was "Do you want Iceland to join the EU, knowing that this would deprive us of our favourable fishing rights?" the vast majority would be against.

Georgia is certainly European, so I think it's cultural more than anything.

Georgia is unlikely to become a member until they have solved their separatism problems and that won't be any time soon.

Cyprus has much worse problems and it was accepted.

That was due to blackmail.

I don't understand you. Who was blackmailed by whom?
Bono, Georgia actually had a war over both separatist territories about ten years ago, and there are still clashes and high tension. Cyprus has more or less settled down.

The EU was blackmailed by Greece. Cyprus was included largely to prevent a Greek veto of Eastern expansion.

Well, Cyprus also had a much better economy than some other countries which joined recently.

Yes... not the point though. The EU wouldn't have saddled itself with that boundary dispute if it wasn't for the, ahem, specific political circumstances.

[GMantis]

I think if the question was "Do you want Iceland to join the EU, knowing that this would deprive us of our favourable fishing rights?" the vast majority would be against.

Georgia is certainly European, so I think it's cultural more than anything.

Georgia is unlikely to become a member until they have solved their separatism problems and that won't be any time soon.

Cyprus has much worse problems and it was accepted.

That was due to blackmail.

I don't understand you. Who was blackmailed by whom?
Bono, Georgia actually had a war over both separatist territories about ten years ago, and there are still clashes and high tension. Cyprus has more or less settled down.

The EU was blackmailed by Greece. Cyprus was included largely to prevent a Greek veto of Eastern expansion.

Well, Cyprus also had a much better economy than some other countries which joined recently.

Yes... not the point though. The EU wouldn't have saddled itself with that boundary dispute if it wasn't for the, ahem, specific political circumstances.

So this confirms that Georgia won't join any time soon (even if their economy greatly improves).