>(now we're getting to the Hans Island part) any country that has a
>land border with the EU is moved to the top of the list in terms of
>new membership, unless its an island nation in of itself.(ie Iceland-
>which is in the EEC-, Malta and Cypurs).
I think there's some confusion here. Iceland is not in the EEC (now EU),
but the European Economic Area which also includes Liechtenstein and
Norway. These countries effectively cooperate with the EU in most areas
(e.g. freedom of movement, common standards, research programmes), and
indeed have mostly harmonised their legal and economic systems with EU
practice. To all intensive purposes, they are part of the EU without
formally being so.
Malta and Cyprus are currently EU Associated States which is a category for
countries negotiating to join the EU, and working towards fulfilling the 13
conditions (the so-called 'chapters') necessary for membership. In fact,
there are currently 12 Associated States, ten of which (including Malta and
Cyprus) will join the EU on the 1st of May 2004. Bulgaria and Romania have
been deemed not to fulfil the necessary conditions as yet, and will
probably not be able to join for a few more years.
Switzerland has also negotiated a special status with the EU, and will
effectively have the same rights as the EEA countries from 2004 (freedom of
movement in particular). They already participate in many EU programmes,
and have done so for a number of years.
The aforementioned islands have long been involved in EU discussions, but
Iceland has never wished to join, mainly on the grounds of protecting its
fisheries, whilst Cyprus was not seriously considered due to the partition
problem. The Faroes abrogated from the EEC (as it was then) when Denmark
joined in 1972, whilst Greenland did originally join, but subsequently
withdrew after gaining home rule in 1979 (although the actual withdrawal
was a few years later).
The status of various other islands associated with member states (i.e. the
British Overseas Territories, the French DOMs and TOMs, plus the Dutch
Antilles) were resolved when their parent countries joined the EEC, with
some being included (e.g. Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion and Gibraltar),
other excluded (e.g. St Pierre et Miquelon, Cayman Islands, and the Dutch
Antilles) and others having an indeterminate relationship (e.g. Guernsey,
Jersey, Isle of Man, and the Canary Islands).
Beyond this, there are no other island states left in Europe, so it's only
natural that any new members are likely to have land boundaries with the
EU. The Greek position may be a ploy to exclude Turkey from consideration
for a few more years, as leverage in any future Cyprus settlement.
>Canada is in Nafta with the US, but if a land border is established via
>Denmark as Jesper has suggested dividing Hans Island down the middle this
>would establish a land border with the European Union and NAFTA.
Not really, because Greenland is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of
Denmark, and is not part of the EU. This is actually why I advocate
distinguishing autonomous territories separately from their parent countries.
Regards,
Kevin Meynell