Associate membership of the EU: how possible is it?

[Johnsonsfiat]

It's something I would be interested in because I didn't want to leave the EU. But, it also seems like an impossible idea.
Sadiq Khan says he's in talks with EU regarding associate membership for London. Could that happen, and if so would individuals have to apply or would it be London wide?
Is anyone in the know about these things? I'd like to know more.

I think it's rubbish I'm afraid. Khan is just playing politics. (Not that this is a bad thing: he's a politician. And he's right that Brexit will be very damaging to London).

It's just another form of having your cake and eating it. Out means out.

For London or Scotland to have something like this, it would require a treaty between the UK and EU.

Don't hold your breath.

It's not possible, as much as I would love it.

It's as completely meaningless as the idea of individual associate citizenship of the EU. What happens as you drive past the Jolly Wheelers pub on the A113 to say that you are now in an associate space of the European Union rather then Essex? Which UK laws no longer apply on the inside of that border? Who are the citizens of London? Etc etc.

I quite like Sadiq Khan, not least because his entire existence winds up racist trolls, but he's always been a rather average politician.

It isn’t possible and it isn’t going to happen, because the British government don’t want it so it’s a complete non-starter.

And Sadiq’s up for re-election in May, so that explains it....

I think Sadiq should focus on addressing knife crime in London rather than spouting nonsense about the EU.

I would love that. Would pay a tax for it. Anything to mitigate the downsides of Brexit on a personal level, if not on a wider level. Doubt it will be possible BUT discussing it keeps it alive and a possibility (albeit small). May also focus the minds of the general public on what we are all actually losing individually thanks to Brexit.

I'm Pro EU but this is completely stupid. I understand the intent but in practice it's not happening.

If we can build a bridge from Scotland to Northern Ireland, then surely we could have associate membership ? Brexit Britain needs to think BIG, we could have all the stuff we had before and more if we stump up a tiny bit of cash , well a bit less than that needed to build a train track that follows another train track going from and to the same places

We must keep plugging away at these things, in the way that Farage did. No one was really fussed about whether we were EU members or not; they certainly weren't the rabid Leavers they became, until he, Johnson, Gove etc. worked their poison. So we fight on.

If we can build a bridge from Scotland to Northern Ireland, then surely we could have associate membership ?

In one way this is actually quite a good comparison. We can't build a bridge from Scotland to Northern Ireland either.

It's not in the Treaties (Treaty on European Union and Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union), meaning that the Member States haven't conferred to ability to grant associate membership on the EU. The EU can't do anything that the Member States haven't granted it the ability to do. So unless the remaining Member States unanimously decide to change the Treaties (which would require e.g. a referendum in Ireland and the cooperation of the states in a rule of law/Euroscepticism crisis like Hungary and Poland) it can't constitutionally happen. i.e. it won't happen at all!

It's unworkable on so many levels however he's right to bring up EU citizenship as something highly desirable. It needs keeping up for the next decade(s).

I agree Songs - this particular idea may not be workable, but we have to keep battling on. Farage and the ERG didn't shut up, so now it's our turn not to shut up.

It won't happen.

A stupid idea, not possible and Leavers don't want it. Khan should concentrate on his job, fixing problems in London.

A stupid idea, not possible and Leavers don't want it.

Are you talking about the bridge now SilverySurfer

Leavers don't want it.
Leavers don't have to take it up then.

I don't expect this will ever happen but I think it's something we should keep taking about and promoting. We need to keep reminding ourselves and the government of the very real and useful rights and opportunities that are being taken from us against our individual will.

I will not give up or 'get behind' something that strips my children of rights. Never.

No frumpety I am talking about the subject of the thread

KenDodd
I will not give up or 'get behind' something that strips my children of rights. Never.

It's not going to happen so good luck with that.

It won't happen with the present Government, that's for sure, but never say never. Last year the DUP were riding high; as a result of the last election, this year they are nowhere. Events dear boy, events, as MacMillan probably didn't say.

Associate membership for LONDON?? What about the rest of us?

Fuck london

Leavers don't want it.
Is that the new criterion for all UK policy?

For the present Government, at the present time, Yes. When things change, Johnson will trim his sails accordingly. That is, if the Tory party haven't decided that he's a liability and got rid of him.