this post was submitted on 31 Mar 2025
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Because in this world, it is better not to be alone.
Norway is already part of EEA and Schengen. Giving up more of the democratic power of the people to politicians and their benefactors in Brussels who couldn't give a toss about Norway, for no gain, sounds like great deal.
Not to mention the insane scope creep that EU is undergoing, it's hardly just a single market union anymore.
The European Union is good thing, and it has done great thing for Europe and its members, but Norway isn't in situation where we need to join.
I'm not going to tell you what to do, but not being part of the EU is a bit strange to me. You follow about 80% of our EU rules without any real say about them. You pay into the EU budget. You're almost members already, so I feel full membership would just confirm what you already have. It's pretty good for us other nordics, so I believe you'd be just fine. But again, that's up to you.
As opposed to the miniscule say we would have as one of 28. It would hardly make much of difference if Germany or France wanted to push in a different direction, or if the budding dictatorship member state decides to veto.
And again, what is there to gain to trade our sovereignty for? It would also make essentially impossible to ever decouple from EU if it starts going a direction we don't want to follow.
We budget ~5 billion dollar annually in foreign aid. The annual EEA "membership cost" between 2014 and 2021 was ~0,4 billion. The cost really isn't much of a concern. And it's not like you stop sending money to the EU once you become a member. E.g. Sweden is a net contributer to EU with 1,6 billion euros spent in 2023.
I'm happy for you, and not at all salty that we'll never have Scandinavian union instead ๐
Smaller countries have a bigger say than they should, to prevent the bigger nations from steamrolling them. That said it would take a few, which is why the UK leaving was a bit sad. They were usually on our side.
But right now Norway has NO say, and follow almost everything we decide. How is that better? What sovereignty are you afraid of losing? Don't you think banding together with the other nordics and perhaps the baltics would give you more of a say? And as the UK is finding out as we speak, it's very, very, hard and expensive, to decouple from your closest neighbour and trading partner. Canada is also in a similar situating, but for a different reason.
Oh no, membership costs, especially for rich countries, but a rising tide lifts all ships, so it's not a bad deal. But as an example, at the time of joining, Poland had the same GDP as Ukraine and now Poland has 5 times the GDP of Ukraine. Numbers taken before the invasion.
We can have a nordic union within the EU. Norway would absolutely strengthen the north. I'd welcome you, as well as Iceland and I'd also take the UK back, in time.