Next Wave of EU Expansion

[Frodo]

And here is the map of the European Union as it currently stands:



Light Green: Current members
Dark Blue: Candidate countries
Light Blue: Potential candidate countries
Yellow: Application for membership frozen as negotiations were rejected in a referendum
Red: Application for membership rejected
Pink: Accession rejected in two referenda

[GMantis]

Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia.

[Јas]

Of the poll options: Iceland; Croatia; and Macedonia.
The rest have various issues (mostly human rights related) which I think should be addressed before allowing entry.

Of those not on the list, Norway, Switzerland, Greenland and most of the micro-nations would also be fine with me.

[ottermax]

It would be great to see Turkey join, but the economy needs to improve there. I think the EU may have to wait about a decade to allow any new states because the new ones currently are still behind Western Europe and must catch up before any more countries can be admitted.

[True Democrat]

I voted Croatia and Iceland, though I probably should've voted Macedonia too.

Turkey should be allowed to join soon, but it probably won't join for at least ten years.

[Hashemite]

Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Iceland.

I'm against Turkey in Europe. The Turkish government's recent law on headscarves backs me up my argument.

[Verily]

In the next wave, I'd like to see Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Iceland. However, I am of the opinion that membership within the European Union works to solve a lot of the problems often brought up with candidate countries and therefore only oppose countries with very severe unsolved problems (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Bosnia of those listed) from joining.

I think Turkish membership in the EU would be of immediate and immense benefit to both democracy and secularism in Turkey and therefore have no qualms whatsoever with admitting it more or less as is. Same goes for corruption problems in Ukraine.

[True Democrat]

Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Iceland.

I'm against Turkey in Europe. The Turkish government's recent law on headscarves backs me up my argument.

Because obviously headscarves = terrorism.

The European fascination with the relationship between headscarves and Islamic extremism, along with minarets and this extremism has always amazed me.  I don't understand where these concepts come from.

[Michael Z]

Croatia, Iceland, Moldova. Montenegro and Bosnia as well, perhaps.

Tadic's victory made Serbia's inclusion slightly more likely, but only slightly and I think there are still too many hard feelings over the Kosovo war for this to happen any time soon.

Kosovo and Ukraine won't join for the foreseeable future, because Russia would go absolutely apes***t if they did.

Turkey won't join in the next immediate phase because key member states like Germany and UK are still at loggerheads over this issue; but I do believe it will happen at some point before 2020.

[Hashemite]

Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Iceland.

I'm against Turkey in Europe. The Turkish government's recent law on headscarves backs me up my argument.

Because obviously headscarves = terrorism.

The European fascination with the relationship between headscarves and Islamic extremism, along with minarets and this extremism has always amazed me.  I don't understand where these concepts come from.

Wow, just wow.

I never said anything about headscarves=terrorism. My point was in fact about secularism in Turkey.

Wow.

[© Tweed the Younger]

why isn't Norway in the EU?

[Michael Z]

why isn't Norway in the EU?

Economic reasons, mainly. Norway has one of the most generous welfare states on the planet, yet it's also horrendously expensive compared to other EU countries, and they're loath to give up that "special status". There are probably other reasons, but that's it in a nutshell, I think.

However, there are special agreements in place which mean that they effectively have quasi-EU status.

[True Federalist]

Scotland

[Χahar]

Croatia, Turkey, Iceland.

[True Democrat]

Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Iceland.

I'm against Turkey in Europe. The Turkish government's recent law on headscarves backs me up my argument.

Because obviously headscarves = terrorism.

The European fascination with the relationship between headscarves and Islamic extremism, along with minarets and this extremism has always amazed me.  I don't understand where these concepts come from.

Wow, just wow.

I never said anything about headscarves=terrorism. My point was in fact about secularism in Turkey.

Wow.

I would consider equal rights for people of all religious preferences to be an important part of secularism, wouldn't you?

[opebo]

Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Iceland.

I'm against Turkey in Europe. The Turkish government's recent law on headscarves backs me up my argument.

Because obviously headscarves = terrorism.

The European fascination with the relationship between headscarves and Islamic extremism, along with minarets and this extremism has always amazed me.  I don't understand where these concepts come from.

It should be obvious.  Headscarves, minarets, and so forth show that there are people present who actually believe in their inherited nonsensical intolerant hate-filled religion, and thus they are a terrible danger to everyone else.  This same method of noticing the religious works in christian countries as well - look for churches and jesus signs in the south and you'll know you're in trouble and should get out asap.

[ukchris82]

Countries that wish to join the EU must address human rights.
In the last wave of entrants, some have still yet to implement human rights, this is not acceptable, you must meet the criteria before you join, simply saying, we will meet them if you let us join first, is not good enough.

Iceland is the only country that meets my criteria at the moment, but i'd like to see all Europeam countries joining, and having a system similar to the US.

[London Man]

Iceland, Ukraine, Croatia and Macedonia. Croatia needs to fully sort out war crimes stuff first though.

[Michael Z]

Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Iceland.

I'm against Turkey in Europe. The Turkish government's recent law on headscarves backs me up my argument.

Because obviously headscarves = terrorism.

The European fascination with the relationship between headscarves and Islamic extremism, along with minarets and this extremism has always amazed me.  I don't understand where these concepts come from.

Wow, just wow.

I never said anything about headscarves=terrorism. My point was in fact about secularism in Turkey.

Wow.

I would consider equal rights for people of all religious preferences to be an important part of secularism, wouldn't you?

Since when? Secularism is the rejection of religious doctrines, not some form of equalitarianism. Besides, we're talking about a system of enforced secularism - in Turkey, they very much have a "Give them an inch and they'll take a mile"-attitude towards Islamists, which dates back to the Ataturk period.

However, I think the main reason some EU governments such as Germany are against Turkey joining is the human rights abuses taking place there, especially against the Kurds, not to mention all that stuff about the Armenian genocide. For as long as Turkey doesn't address these issues, EU membership is unlikely. You could of course look at it from another angle and suggest that membership is the proverbial carrot on the stick that's being held out for Turkey to address its human rights abuses.

There are of course other, pettier reasons, which are mostly related to Germany's sizeable Turkish community, but that's neither here nor there.

[Sibboleth]

O/c using one definition of the term it's actually wrong to describe the system in Turkey as being secular; the state has an active role in religious affairs.

[GMantis]

I think Turkish membership in the EU would be of immediate and immense benefit to both democracy and secularism in Turkey and therefore have no qualms whatsoever with admitting it more or less as is. Same goes for corruption problems in Ukraine.

My own experience indicates that corruption actually increases after admission in the EU. And if Turkey is admitted unreformed, the anti-democratic forces will become entrenched and reforms will be far less likely.

Countries that wish to join the EU must address human rights.
In the last wave of entrants, some have still yet to implement human rights, this is not acceptable, you must meet the criteria before you join, simply saying, we will meet them if you let us join first, is not good enough.

Iceland is the only country that meets my criteria at the moment, but i'd like to see all Europeam countries joining, and having a system similar to the US.

Which countries admitted recently have yet to implement human rights?

[ukchris82]

I think Turkish membership in the EU would be of immediate and immense benefit to both democracy and secularism in Turkey and therefore have no qualms whatsoever with admitting it more or less as is. Same goes for corruption problems in Ukraine.

My own experience indicates that corruption actually increases after admission in the EU. And if Turkey is admitted unreformed, the anti-democratic forces will become entrenched and reforms will be far less likely.

Countries that wish to join the EU must address human rights.
In the last wave of entrants, some have still yet to implement human rights, this is not acceptable, you must meet the criteria before you join, simply saying, we will meet them if you let us join first, is not good enough.

Iceland is the only country that meets my criteria at the moment, but i'd like to see all Europeam countries joining, and having a system similar to the US.

Which countries admitted recently have yet to implement human rights?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Romania
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Bulgaria

Don't get me wrong, I think these countries have came a long way, but membership should be as a reward when you've finished the test. What motivation do the countries have now to address the remaining aims?

[afleitch]

Romania and Bulgaria entered too quickly. I support moves for Iceland, Croatia and Turkey to join next wave.

And Scotland, should we become independent.

[ukchris82]

Romania and Bulgaria entered too quickly. I support moves for Iceland, Croatia and Turkey to join next wave.

And Scotland, should we become independent.

Amen to that!

[Vasall des Midas]

All but the former Soviet Union states.