Is the European Union a Country?

[@lizzie8742]

”Is the european union a country?” Almost every single person living in a country in the EU: Why did I click this?

[@thatoneportuguese6843]

I'm from Portugal

[@Kih_lux]

Same

[@kotsunia]

Same 2 Olá but I am in Scotland

[@niemand-4881]

I'm from Germany

[@SparklyFoxy]

I live in Italy

[@Miru_Man]

Haha if the EU was a country England would be a country in a country in a country! Edit 07/07/2021: I'm aware we left the EU and that this comment is no longer true, this post was made in the past.

[@dalemonshateu6948]

ArcticGuy And the City Of London would be a city in a city, in a country in a country, in a country

[@dalemonshateu6948]

Tomket cz I said the city of London, not London, big difference, the city of London is surrounded by the city we call London, confusing huh?

[@kaydensoh6742]

England would finally be a city

[@gamermapper]

It would be a state like in the US or a republic like in the USSR.

[@derekwheeler4299]

Wait until the UN becomes a country within the galactic union.

[@trollloloololooo]

Americans: yes Europe is a country Fact: no it's not

[@tatiatus3382]

Valorous dumb* oh the irony

[@griffin8762]

??? theirs no b in dum.

[@tatiatus3382]

Valorous I hope you're being sarcastic.

[@trollloloololooo]

Valorous there is but it's silent

[@izumi.yoshida7]

Valorous yes there is you troll :)

[@jasoncole1833]

I feel like no countries recognize the eu as a country because the eu hasn’t declared itself as a country

[@ygmsniper]

Yes. It does not consider itself a country but rather an organization of countries. But they function as if they are only one country, because of the overlapping of things they are implementing to their members.

[@papagato1399]

@@ygmsniper of course it is not country . The United kingdom is out of the European union.

[@shonenjumpmagneto]

What happens when a Border is recognized as a country by other countries against that entities will? Lol. What if every country just came out & said "The EU is a soverign country, 1 nation." ???

[@likmaw]

Nobody would recognize a country that doesn’t recognize itself

[@shonenjumpmagneto]

@@likmaw yeah but it's not imppssible. They very well coild be a set of variables that have made it so in the past or will make it so. Singapor is a great example. Against it's will, given sovereignty & absolute independence.

[@PirateDogAMV]

So nice to hear someone from the US say Scotland is it's own country lol!

[@paged_8688]

Wait does that mean Scotland isn’t a country

[@orans_]

Its a country, not a nation, not hard to understand the differences.

[@drtiger1834]

@@paged_8688 it’s a country but not a sovereign state. The uk is made of England ,Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

[@weirdland4902]

@@orans_ but what is the difference?

[@orans_]

@@weirdland4902 idfk i saw it on a KZbin video

[@Tony.H03]

Wowowow! 1:45-1:50 The Council of Europe IS NOT the same as the Council of the European Union!!! (confusingly enough!) The Council of Europe is independent from and older than the EU, althought the two share a flag. The Council of Europe more like the European counterpart to the Organization of American States, and also includes countries like Russia and Turkey. It is more a cultural-scientific institution, compared to the EU, which is a political-economic institution. Great video though

[@doctorpc1531]

And then there's the European Council, which you could consider as the softer half of the executive branch, made up of all EU nations' presidents and handling big picture stuff without playing a formal role in most legislation.

[@chiisuigintou]

It is created to compete against NAFTA, so comparing it against the USA, pretty much shows on its own how little he knows about wtf he's talking about.

[@itzraddy2127]

If Europe was a country, then England is my city

[@hondoohnakaproductions]

Bruh

[@cameronnedrow6017]

Not WhizCraft 2 what?

[@iantongco8963]

Cameron Nedrow it's a KZbinr joke Jake Paul's music video where that fat man from England said "England is my city and if it wasn't for team 10 then the U.S would be shitty" (it's a music video)

[@LPyourplay]

He probably meant the nonsensical BS Gru ber said.

[@ThatnegroOutta]

Question should be: should European countries be considered states in the EU? That sounds about right being England the size of Oregon.

[@albinjohnsson2511]

Some minor errors: 1. Sweden opted out of the Euro zone deliberately, following a national referendum. It will not adopt the Euro. 2. Northern Ireland is not a country, unlike England, Wales, and Scotland that are. 3. There is a federal district in the U.S. - The District of Columbia.

[@GuadalupePicasso]

I ask in total curiosity, but how is Northern Ireland not considered a country? Also, there are multiple, other EU countries that aren’t on the euro: ones that I’ve been to include: Poland, Czech Republic, and Hungary.

[@xxsupersayen34xxnoe33]

@@GuadalupePicasso based on what I understand the uk used to only be about england and scotland (and thr colonies but shhh). walse was considered part of england and ireland was just a powerless territory that happened to be near britain. Later walse became independant from england but stayed in the uk and she got the same statue that scotland has. Then there was kind of a civil war in ireland between independantist and pro british, the independantist got their own country(ireland) and the pro british stayed in britain (forming northern ireland) but theirs statue within the union did not change and they're still a territory , though they have as much power as scotland and walse so it is basically a de facto vs de jure thing.

[@KeithBarnesLife]

@@xxsupersayen34xxnoe33 In modern day we consider all four nations, countries. That being said, in terms of our internal devolution of legislative and executive, and in certain cases judicial powers, there are differences. England and Scotland are full on countries. Scotland has its own police powers, law (therefore judicial system), and education policy. These pre-date the literal foundations of the UK. As Wales was in Union with England during the Union with Scotland, Wales only has an Assembly, not a parliament. There are discussions on increasing Wales' powers but they come from a different historical base. Having explained this, consider that Northern Ireland was a province under direct control Westminster, and you start to see why the Northern Irish secretary had extra powers, in comparison to his Welsh counterpart, but not on the same basis as the Scottish (where those powers - later passed to the Scottish Parliament) come from its past status as a Kingdom in its own right. It is so confusing its not even funny but essentially its all based on the status under which they joined the Union.

[@0xCAFEF00D]

About Sweden. Technically we agreed to take the euro assuming we meet certain standards. We meet those standards every year, pretty much. But we're not members of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism which you need to have been for 2 years to actually get the euro. There's a political commitment to not join the euro without another referendum though. The eurozone crisis really plummeted the reputation of the eurozone and euro here. It's slowly ticking up again but when the crisis was apparent it plummeted to 80% against. We're at 65% against 20% for and 15% are unsure.

[@chesterdonnelly1212]

@@KeithBarnesLife good explanation. I would like to add that England and Wales is one legal jurisdiction. Scotland was a good example to use in this video because it is indispensably a country. Northern Ireland is part of a country (Ireland) and part of a sovereign state (the UK). Wales is part of the legal jurisdiction of England and Wales. England doesn't have a devolved government or parliament. So, other than Scotland, the countries of the United Kingdom are not really countries by any kind of objective measure.

[@boncegt4]

Is the European Union a Country? but everytime he says: "european union" or "EU" it gets faster

[@JohnSmith-kv3eo]

booce bung I need this video

[@roxlovesfearless]

Or country

[@chinmaymathur7000]

Summon @ParashockX

[@_erik_2138]

Video will be 10 seconds long

[@ice711real]

10/10 I should do this

[@43bikeguy]

This is only a question an American would ask.

[@whopperlover1772]

43bikeguy Well that would make sense, kinda like how a European would ask questions about Americans. You're not too bright are you?

[@Tracomaster]

ByteMe actually i asked the question "is the usa a country" when i was 9

[@whopperlover1772]

Tracomaster It's natural lol....some people think Texas is it's own country.

[@Tracomaster]

ByteMe i bet even some texans think that

[@whopperlover1772]

Tracomaster As a Texan, can confirm there have been children that have wondered this....

[@Lotantio]

0:26 "And there's a single government" I love how you showed a picture of the European Central Bank instead of the EU Commission

[@meandmetoo8436]

It's so ironic I love it.

[@edim108]

It's so true though.

[@11Survivor]

Money does make the world go round, unfortunately.

[@chiisuigintou]

Ikr, shows how much research he has done. I think he spend not much more than 5 sec reading on wiki, thinking he knows it all. Didn't say even a single word about BeNeLux, even though the European Union is actually based upon the BeNeLux union.

[@InitialPC]

@@chiisuigintou Benelux rocks

[@hge437]

The EU isn't a country, but it acts like one. The US is a country, but it doesn't act like it lol

[@krhl9773]

Where doesnt it act like a country my homie

[@krhl9773]

Yo deadass triena be funny💀

[@_erik_2138]

@Patrick Laughing At Your Small PP "I'm ignorant and bitter about everything but the US so I'm gonna be mad at everyone who makes fun of the US."

[@wiktoriawolny]

@@krhl9773 well every US state has its own rules, own time zones etc. So yeah... The US doesn't act like a country. If I am going to US in one state I can do something but in other I can't? That's hilarious how US still stays a country.

[@krhl9773]

Wiktoria Wolny every Country has states or „regions“ where somethings are allowed and where not

[@EvanCDavies]

In conclusion... the EU is a confederation of independent states. One could argue that the United States was in the same position before its Civil War as the EU is now. Before the war, it was accepted that states were sovereign; afterward that they were in some sense subservient to the federal government. To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin Gates (National Treasure), "Before the war people said 'the United States are...' afterward they said 'the United States is...'."

[@Ackreti]

Not really. US exists to create a country. EU exists to create a continental union from many countries.

[@arbiteras]

The EU wants to bind together in a economic oligarchy multiple states and drop the economic standard to make more money and help international industries milk the workers Fuck the EU, long live the european nations

[@SuperSMT]

An even closer analog to the EU is the US before and after the Constitution. The original United States under the Articles of Confederation 1776-1789 was a lot closer to the current EU situation - though still not exactly the same. The US of 1789 to the Civil War was kind-of halfway between the EU and the present-day US.

[@hondoohnakaproductions]

Evan D cant be confederation of independant states that copyright of star wars listen to this copyright 5:08

[@EebstertheGreat]

It's not the same at all. The Constitution is explicit that federal law trumps state law and that federal courts trump state courts. That is not the case in the EU. When the EU passes a law, it is up to each member state to decide how and if to implement it. Many states simply do not do so, and the EU has no enforcement power, except to penalize them in the context of the union itself or eject them from it. No EU army is going to march on the UK the way Washington marched on Whiskey protestors. There is no sovereign nation that is really comparable to a supranational entity like the EU.

[@Solden_ghower]

Ofc European Union is not a country. Thats why its called European UNION not European COUNTRY or STATE. God damn it

[@jovanweismiller7114]

Ever heard of the UNION of Soviet Socialist Republics? Pretty much a country in anyone's book.

[@noncanot]

the UNION of Soviet Socialist Republics was never one country. Dude, do you even history??

[@georgemacpherson1992]

Hannes Mäeorg Urm actually it was one country until the early 1990's.

[@Solden_ghower]

it technically was a country. Other countries "joined" the Russia XDDD

[@noncanot]

Sina Malina No, idiots everywhere. Russia was just one country in USSR just like latvia. USSR did not equal russia! Yes, russia was the biggest country in USSR, (and was therefore heavily dominating) but it was still a union like any other, except a lot of smaller countries were forced to join the union

[@micnamearvebro5421]

Sweden has reached the target a while ago but just as denmark and the uk dosen't want to join

[@puernatura8998]

Mortimer Laforet Why should a sovereign state give up its right to control its own currency? Besides, Sweden already voted against adopting the EU in 2003.

[@puernatura8998]

Rune Jensen DEXIT SWEXIT ITALEXIT POLEAVE FREXIT SPEXIT NETHERLEAVE

[@suyci]

Netherleave... that cracked me up :D

[@stepanlukasek1978]

Czechia never determine the target...

[@dadude4960]

no. the Euro is a failed currency, as nations that do not show year-to-year stability use this currency as the standard. actually the majority of nations that use it as a standard are unstable economically. France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Slovakia, Estonia, Lithuania, Lithuania 2. if the Euro was shared only among Germany, Finland, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium, then we would join. we are satisfied with our economic growth until then.

[@joeyscorpion773]

Is the EU a country? No, but actually yes

[@crossiantos8162]

dalya makki Well yes, but actually no.

[@f_joyce6941]

Well no... but actually.....no.

[@alexbalan_5623]

No, it isn't.

[@bertilhamren5338]

But its not tho

[@wenaldinhola9439]

You truly are an idiot

[@wolfgangengel4835]

Short answer: No, not yet.

[@Debre.]

👉😎👉

[@louisbeerreviews8964]

Wolfgang Engel it’s not

[@brouwer0171]

Never.

[@wolfgangengel4835]

@@brouwer0171 That would disappoint me to be honest. 😄

[@martinlenker]

You spelled never wrong

[@lusitanimendes641]

When two youtubers that you follow collaborate :D

[@macvena]

Lusitani Mendes "collaborate"

[@lusitanimendes641]

MAC VENA thanks

[@joshomosh1]

Lusitani Mendes I know I love it

[@Kodlaken]

I really want to know why this unfinished sentence shit started, saying "When two youtubers that you follow collaborate" is just as stupid as saying "I can't even believe that he said"

[@carbonzl1994]

Kodlaken Your sentence is "unfinished". You forgot your punctuation at the end of that sentence.

[@sebastiangripen1095]

Sweden didnt met the criteria to be part of the eurozone, LOL.

[@Wendoverproductions]

Sweden actually voted not to join the Eurozone in a referendum, but they don't have an opt-out, so they've purposefully failed to meet part of the "economic requirement" in order to avoid having to join.

[@sebastiangripen1095]

thank you. it was misleading in the video.

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

Wendover Productions They have to join ERM II in order to join the Euro. Problem is ERM II is optional to join thus Sweden can avoid the Euro by not joining ERM II and not fulfil the criteria by just avoiding this! Interestingly enough Denmark which has a exception to the Euro is part of ERM II for some reason....

[@OKANGUVEN99]

Pretty much same with Norway I believe.

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

Okan Güven Norway isn't part of the EU, they are part of the EEA and Schengen but not the EU.

[@speter0208]

0:17 When you say they use the same currency, actually two of the four countries shown have their own currency and don't use the Euro.

[@andyfidler5022]

@@ASilverBird apparently you didn't. The half-wit who produced this clearly stated that there is just one currency.

[@lodgin]

@@andyfidler5022 Clearly you didn't either because he states that those countries have opt-outs of the Eurozone. You're literally just looking to be offended.

[@chaunceyloveshack]

@@lodgin clearly you did watch bc that's exactly what happened

[@starcobra2575]

Sweden also will never used the euro they got that wrong.

[@HarionDafar]

10 min for a "no" is quite long, isn't it?

[@Kodlaken]

By that logic then nothing should ever be explained and only the basic summary of the answer should be provided. That way nobody can actually understand things and learn. Sounds like a brilliant idea.

[@Robofrosty]

He said no at the start of the video so you got your answer instantly, he was explaining why the answer was "No".

[@LoisGavros]

GeilerRitter He said no at 0:13

[@chlorophyllphile]

no

[@gregormcintosh4525]

GeilerRitter no

[@juliussokolowski4293]

1:50 - Council of Europe and Council of the European Union are two different bodies. The former is not even a part of the EU structure.

[@jellyman1735]

Actually salt is a metal bonded to a non metal. *Table salt* is sodium bonded to chlorine.

[@Ladifour]

Jelly Man So many flavours and you choose to be salty.

[@quinrizer6143]

Jelly Man I'm pretty sure he was referring to table salt. A quick question, do you say table salt every time you mean salt?

[@B3Band]

I think it's hilarious that, in his attempt to be a pedantic ass, Jelly Man actually revealed himself to be a *wrong*, pedantic ass!

[@jarmo_kiiski]

I was about to write this exact same comment...

[@str8dominican]

Actually, you're all wrong. Salt is one third of the 1980's rap group Salt N Pepa. You're welcome!

[@visitbolivia1218]

Wendover: *EU is a nation* Random British guy: *angry tea noises*

[@chiisuigintou]

Angry Belgian noises!!!!!

[@christophkeresztes8617]

Earl Grey Flavoured Confusion

[@31ll087]

BRI ISH

[@jonearley6602]

@@31ll087 Don't say BRI'ISH in front of the English

[@starcobra2575]

Angry swedish noises

[@DSN112358]

Little error: Switzerland is also part of the Schengen zone. Greetings from Basel :)

[@Tebbe1997]

It's still in the Schengen

[@naelmeter4467]

TimiK He didn’t say it was un the EU he said it was in Schengen zone don’t be blind.

[@naelmeter4467]

DSN112358 Grüsse von Genf :)

[@neverluckym8728]

I think he means that you can freely travel between EU countries and Switzerland. It also works for Liechtenstein, Norway, and Iceland because of the EFTA :)

[@Adrian-rb4qp]

Gnocchis à poêler Grüsse von Norwegen😂

[@Tony.H03]

Oi Sam! 1:47 : the Council of Europe is noooot the same as the Council of the EU!! I know that sounds confusing and it's an easy mistake to make, but they're veeeery different entities. The Council of the EU is the group of ministers and heads of government that represent single countries from the EU and has to approve every proposed EU law. The Council of Europe, on the other hand, is a cultural organisation with 40+ members which confusingly uses the same flag (which is why you can find the European flag on Russian agencies sometimes) that focuses on human rights, fair elections, and cultural cooperation, but is nooothing like the financial and political Union that the EU is. Just wanted to clear that up. I don't think either of them would like it if you would call them by the other's name.

[@Asasnol21]

Sweden has a permanent opt out on the euro just like the UK and Denmark.

[@herkus7560]

They don't, they are technically required to once they meet the criteria. Sweden simply doesn't try to meet the criteria.

[@valfardskrigare9407]

No, we voted to not have the Euro because we would loose on it.

[@Asasnol21]

Justice for Pets Techincally yes. But the most important critiria that sweden does not fulfil is 2 years membership in the ERM II which it chose not to enter. The EU said fine so its sorta like they have an opt out.

[@rjfaber1991]

Sweden does not have an optout on joining the Eurozone, they simply have an optout on one of the requirements to join. This loophole has since been closed, so no new EU members can copy what Sweden did, but by gentleman's agreement, the EU has not retroactively applied these new rules to Sweden.

[@herkus7560]

No, its exactly like that. Sweden hasn't reached the economic targets to join the Eurozone, neither does Romania. More on that here en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euro_convergence_criteria#Fulfillment_of_criteria

[@haze154]

Sweden has Economy good enough to use euro but voted not to use it.

[@Axel227]

Jazza Mapping wow

[@finnishwehraboo8377]

They are the big gay

[@Axel227]

Finnish Wehraboo yeah that liberal country

[@adhamhmacconchobhair4407]

Ireland didn't get to vote :( I hate the euro, our old currency was beautiful and strong

[@leonardopoli6206]

@@adhamhmacconchobhair4407 hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahahahah

[@appa609]

Salt is a social construct!

[@redbaron827]

TRIGGERED!!!

[@dudewatchesdiysandhowtos8268]

Everything is a social construct, really. How do you know an apple is an apple or that it's even called an apple? Because that's what they told you! :O

[@Andrew-fn9oc]

Social construct is not what we 'name it' like apples or salt, but 'something' whether we call an apple an apple or a woojibeflip, it is still the same thing, countries are a social construct because we can change what country means and what it is... We created the rules of being a country not nature. (:

[@EthanParmetItsDaBunny]

Your face is a social construct!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@op8288]

Nope! Salt is a Sodium construction!

[@davidradimersky5463]

Hello Wendover, I'd like to thank you for making such awesome content that will always make me entertained and also educated.

[@NotQuiteFirst]

"Sovereignty is not the EU's goal or desire" LOL

[@lencekk]

Well, it's not.

[@LeDingueDeJeuxVideos]

Alen Napotnik It's arguable, but clearly for now the EU doesn't experct countries to recognize it as one. But yeah,in the future, the goal seems to be a european superstate, for which I would be if there wasn't CETA.

[@unvergebeneid]

All EU bodies are either directly elected by the people or they put together by the governments of the member states. So don't act as if the EU was this foreign thing that acts outside of the will of its member states. Sorry to put it so bluntly, but it only makes you sound like some uninformed brexit oaf.

[@rjfaber1991]

The people do not decide who goes to the European parliament? I think you might be surprised to hear there are European Parliament elections every four years; you should go vote in one! Also, the idea that money buys power in the EU is frankly ludicrous. Of all supranational organisations, and possibly even of all governments on earth, none has been more of a pain in the backside of large corporations than the EU. The EU is constantly laying down legislation that is designed to protect consumers from the abuses of corporate giants, and has extracted huge fines from some of them for anti-consumer behaviour.

[@unvergebeneid]

Robert Faber Exactly. It's the national governments that are far more in bed with their respective industries than the European Parliament. Of course there's the Commission that's a puppet to national governments. Had the brexit-like folks been for more power for the parliament, I might even have been on their side. But democracy has never been their real concern.

[@airbornegomez]

0:52 I lived in this beautiful country for 10.5 years. I grew up in a small village called Villers-Saint-Ghislain, Mons in the Haniaut Province. I traveled to over 18 countries while living in Europe. My most cherished memories are that of which were experienced through my time overseas. I miss Belgium and would love to go back.

[@johnnystonks3970]

Hainaut is a very beautiful region !

[@KatinoBerete]

I'm Lithuanian and I love living in Europe!

[@bca-biciclindcuaxel7527]

I am Romanian and in the same time European ! I love living in United Europe !

[@canwehit1kvidswithoutanysu153]

Nesitikejau rasti lt komentaru

[@Adrian-rb4qp]

BcA - Biciclind cu Axel 🇷🇴♥️

[@Adrian-rb4qp]

REVONAS 🇱🇹♥️

[@rds7516]

In a united Europe*

[@xxDrain]

I am offensive and I find this video a citizen of Latvia

[@malyngar4854]

xxDrain nice :)

[@xesphor1436]

me too

[@gregormcintosh4525]

xxDrain leeeeeeeeel

[@fobusas]

Couple of things missing from this video. 1. EU is not a country because EU didn't say it was a country. First step to becoming a country is proclamation of statehood by the country to be, and EU haven't done that, and don't have the intention in the near future. Partly because populus needs to buy into this notion. 2. EU is a supranational union. EU has power because member states unilaterally delegated some of the sovereignty to this organization. 3. EU is also sui generis. More organizations like that may follow, but the level of integration makes it pretty unique, so any atttempts to shoehorn it into a label of state, confederation, federation, etc, will seem half baked.

[@snappysnoot7540]

Fobus In the dark #1 and #2 were mentioned in the vid

[@EdgyNumber1]

So in effect, *the EU is a subservient organisation?* Let me get this straight: *Council of Europe:* Is represented by the democratically elected governments. *European Parliament:* Is represented by the citizens. *The European Commission:* Is the body that basically signs everything into law *only if* the PARLIAMENT and the COUNCIL vote in together. So the commission *cannot force laws upon us.* They have be agreed between democratically elected heads of state (council) AND our democratically elected MEP's (parliament)? So why are people saying that the EU is undemocratic?

[@Aalexatv95]

Uhhh he did say that lol towards the end, did u not finish the video before typing this up???

[@meandmetoo8436]

0:16 that empire's long gone.

[@alengrm7488]

Emm Slovenia is not included soo

[@rankovasek1987]

make the United States of Greater Austria great again!

[@NessieAndrew]

My country is in the EU, but we do not use the euro and we are not in the shengen zone.

[@NessieAndrew]

Miklon Dk wow

[@abel___]

the UK?

[@oliwiereb]

How about Kosovo, which uses the Euro, but isn't in the EU.

[@NessieAndrew]

Jared Victor Romania.

[@facundoalvarado9]

wtf

[@DA-bm2mj]

what do people of EU think of their nationalities? do they think they're European citizens or citizens of an individual country?

[@Kalabenos]

We identify as citizens of an individual country.

[@adimhvc]

Some feel European, some feel just their "nationality," and some feel both. But as more and more people are being born to "mixed" parents (since we don't have borders and you can live and work anywhere in the EU-there's much more of that nowadays), it's becoming increasingly more difficult to feel anything else but European.. #IAmEuropean

[@aidanfuge2108]

Dias Amreé I'm a UK citizen and if someone asked me my nationality I'd probably say British, but until we leave the EU I consider myself European

[@aidanfuge2108]

Dias Amreé and even once we leave I'm European, but officially a citizen of Britain

[@spabuki]

Dias Amreé The vast majority idenrifies as their country or a specific ethnicity/part of their country (for example Basques in Spain) but there are people, especially young people who see themself more like europeans, because they never knew europe differently then it is today. If someone would ask my, i would say i'm an Austrian, but quite often I feel more like a Euripean, because.. where's the difference? We share so much history and culture, besides the fact that fight and quarrel only hinders us in progressing and living in harmony

[@ByJasons]

I'm Italian, the EU is more like a confederation than a federation, unlike the USA where Federal Laws overtakes State laws, in the EU "confederate" laws are not primary, instead, State Laws are. The EU has some federate features, like the one currency, but it's not applied in all EU countries; countries with the "Euro" are inside of the Eurozone, which is a MONETARY UNION but NOT a FISCAL UNION.

[@Ulkomaalainen]

Not arguing that the EU is a country (it clearly is not, because literally nobody says so), but EU law can beat national law and does all the time. I just think of it as "my country has entered a treaty which says A but our laws say B, to uphold the treaty we need to change to A"

[@ZachBillings]

Jeck federal laws actually do not supersede state laws in the USA. That is a popular misconception, even among Americans.

[@bfedezl2018]

Ulkomaalainen Well, if you didn't like the rules do not enter. The brits aaaaaalways said things like you just have and It was annoying and a burden to us all

[@BlunderCity]

Actually that's not true: community law is superior to national law and always has been. You can go to the European Court of Justice and decisions by national courts can be overturned. But you are right to say that the EU is a confederation as opposed to a federation... or rather, it is a confederation that is slowly shifting towards a federation. It started in 1993 with the Maastricht Treaty when the EEC became the EU and a number of federal like features started to emerge (single currency, unified internal market, European citizenship etc...) It's actually very similar to what the United States went through in the late 18th and early 19th century.

[@ByJasons]

Absolutely, the EU is slowly shifting to a federation. But right now, it's NOT a federation because every state of the union is sovereign. The States rules the EU, not contrary.

[@Nikkstein]

Short answer: No Long answer: Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[@bca-biciclindcuaxel7527]

Reality : YESSSSSS

[@zlosliwa_menda]

@@bca-biciclindcuaxel7527 Do you really believe that, with Brexit right around the corner and Germany essentially waging low-level political war against Poland? EU is essentially a mountain of trade agreements with a single currency zone for some of its member countries.

[@bca-biciclindcuaxel7527]

@@zlosliwa_menda Brexit will never happen and the Majority of Europeans to whom I spoke want to live United in a Strong European Federation State.

[@zlosliwa_menda]

@@bca-biciclindcuaxel7527 Dude, you're in a bubble, surrounded by other europhiles. Look around, look at what's happening in Europe. Read news from different political options, maybe then you will see the real picture. And brexit is already decided.

[@bca-biciclindcuaxel7527]

@@zlosliwa_menda You are not sane in the head :)) European Union has today a stronger real economy than USA. People from outside Europe die everyday just to enter European Union and become Europeans. And Brexit is just a bad joke, it will never happen. You'' ll see for yourself how deluded you are lmao.

[@Sasha-qf8eu]

You got one thing wrong at 1:09, Sweden maintains that joining the ERM II (a requirement for euro adoption) is voluntary, and has chosen to remain outside pending public approval by a referendum, thereby intentionally avoiding the fulfilment of the adoption requirements. So they actually have reached the economical target long ago. But have opted not to take the Euro

[@rjfaber1991]

Indeed. In fact, Sweden actually maintains more fiscal autonomy than Denmark, who do have their own currency, but one that is pegged to the Euro.

[@BlunderCity]

Yes you are correct. But there is a difference between what Sweden had and what the UK and Denmark have. The latter two have a legally recognised opt-out from the euro. Sweden however is opting out using a legal loophole. The result is the same but there is a technical difference.

[@RoScFan]

BlunderCity so, do they keep inflation high or what?

[@BlunderCity]

RoScFan What? I don't follow.

[@rjfaber1991]

BlunderCity I could be misinterpreting, but I think RoScFan is asking about the reasons why the Swedes have not adopted the Euro or pegged the Crown to it, and whether that maybe has someting to do with being able to control their own inflation rates.

[@wyattmccarthy1225]

5:19 Found Waldo!

[@Phoenix_The_HeroHater]

Huh,neat

[@H-N-K]

Wow same

[@dazza2350]

Waldo?

[@algot34]

A better title would be "Why isn't the European Union a country?", because everyone knows that the European Union isn't a country already.

[@blacktempluh3360]

algot34 And, that isn't true. Some actually could.

[@jamesedwards1284]

algot34 ..... americans mate ....

[@qwertyTRiG]

algot34 Also, the current title invokes Betterage's Law of Headlines.

[@pic4315]

There are 325.7 million people who don’t know

[@tauistheworst5350]

3:42 DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, The Northern Mariana Islands, The United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and a lot of uninhabited lands would like a word.

[@MatthewSalzer]

May I suggest making a video that explains the structure of the USSR?

[@unitedstatesofamericareal]

What USSR?

[@robertjarman3703]

That changed over time, from a relatively collective leadership structure in the beginning, to Stalin dominating everything until he died in 1953, then after a few weeks of a leadership crisis, collective leadership really did begin under Khrushchev, then he was ousted by a vote of the Politburo, then Brezhnev took over until he died, and other odd quirks. I'm going to be explaining the 1977 constitution, there were two others of importance, the one created at the beginning of the Soviet Union in 1924 and another by Stalin in 1932. You have to start with the Supreme Soviet, which actually means a council, in Russian. This was split into two bodies, the Soviet of Nationalities and the Soviet of the Union. Both were directly elected every 5 years, although until the reforms of Mikhail Gorbachev, all the candidates were basically approved by the governing party, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU). The Soviet of Nationalities assigned the subdivisions of the USSR a number of deputies. A Republic was one of the 15 soviet republics, although for obvious reasons Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia weren't very happy about that idea. A republic had to be big enough, full of a specific ethnic or similar group (such as ethnic Russians or Ukrainians) and connected to an exterior border in a way that made it able to exercise it's right to secede from the USSR (not exercised of course until Glasnost and Perestroika). Each had 32 deputies. Autonomous republics, subdivisions of the constituent Republic, had 11 deputies. Autonomous oblasts had 5 deputies. And national districts had one each. The Soviet of the Union gave had one deputy for every 300 thousand people, divided into districts for the purpose of ensuring such a ratio. It was also directly elected in the same way, although candidates were approved in the same way by the CPSU. They met for usually a week or two each year, approving all the rules made by the executive, and elected the executive and in theory had the power to dismiss the executive. In practice though, the CPSU had the power and not the elected government.

[@dimitriousdrake]

USSR was one sovereign state, made up of 15 republics, similar to states, as seen in the US.

[@robertjarman3703]

Lil Broomstick That fact was pretty irrelevant until Mikhail Gorbachev became premier.

[@robertjarman3703]

EDIT, that would be General Secretary not premier.

[@xpto41]

Europe is not a country. Each country of Europe have their own traditions, culture, history, etc

[@nattygsbord]

Exactly.

[@xpto41]

nattygsbord but for a american ignorant, we should be a country LOL

[@nattygsbord]

The just see a landmass on a map and think they can merge it. And when American tourists gets to Europe they say they have seen France after 2 days in Paris and a few days in Germany. They simply don't get the deeper dimensions of Europe. And yes there are similiarities, but there are also huge differences between the countries.

[@xpto41]

nattygsbord and the european union project failed

[@mario__265]

Because every country is culturally the same (except for every empire ever)

[@arijao92]

Is there an actual person who would think EU is a country...

[@tommasotirellip.7296]

yes, Americans

[@herpsenderpsen]

yes, many believe that.

[@HoubkneghteS]

you

[@HoubkneghteS]

I call bullshit. I can name way more european countries than europeans can name our states.

[@herpsenderpsen]

Difference being that we are actual independent countries and your states are not

[@bs5199]

This is one of the best videos I've ever seen about the EU (on KZbin)

[@naleek12]

For a Country to be a Country It needs to be considered a Country by a bounch of other country's

[@francescosorce5189]

@Electro_blob each other if treating a group of people near you as a country was beneficial (for example to trade) then you'd do it, add the other perspective and boom, two countries from thin air... or rather from people.

[@francescosorce5189]

@Electro_blob If everyone believes I'm a country... I'm a country a really weird one, but I would

[@inkyscrolls5193]

#SaltIsASocialConstruct

[@juno6994]

@@strawberrysoup1 yes, that is true.

@@strawberrysoup1 give it a try then

[@CommissarMitch]

Sweden is not oblighed to enter the Eurozone, else we would have done so years ago. EU is a union full of asterisk **

[@pauljones3017]

CGPGrey fan?

[@CommissarMitch]

Yep, and also a man who happens to live within the EU, so I have to know both American, and EU laws.

[@varana]

It is, by its treaty of accession. After a referendum in 2003 resulting in a vote against the Euro, however, they have continued to "not fulfil the criteria" for joining the Eurozone on a technicality.

[@nuttex]

Sweden is, actually. They've merely willingly failed to fulfill the requirements of joining the Eurozone by not joining ERM II which happens to be optional.

[@Rebasepoiss]

That is not true. Sweden is 100% obligated to join the Eurozone but they aren't obligated to join ERM II which is a prerequisite for joining the Eurozone...so it's a legal loophole which Sweden has decided to use.

[@sophiatheczech1918]

"They use same currency" screaming in Czech intensifies

[@sophiatheczech1918]

@Tomas Lesko Not even current President want to use Euros, so very far future.

[@sophiatheczech1918]

@Tomas Lesko Podle mího by to bylo lepší kdyby jsme začali používat eura.

[@gabbercharles4513]

Good video as always. I was a bit surprised you did not touch on the topics of Constitution and Federal Vs. Confederate organisation,

[@Mathematrix7]

Another thing that keeps the countries of the European separated on a cultural level is language, I would say. The USA is unified by all of us speaking the same language, whereas in Europe, basically every country has their own language. When you have your own language, you naturally feel separated from those who don't speak your language and from those who speak a language you don't speak

[@fabio0694]

Mathematrix7 In Germany and Austria we are actually speaking german. Some parts of Belgium are speaking German and Italy too.^^

[@dennishz9040]

ehm no in italy nobody speak german,

[@antonioantro6854]

Mathematrix7 we must start to speak english

[@fabio0694]

DennisHz Ich schreibe in Deutsch jetzt. In Südtirol sprechen 70% deutsch, und Südtirol ist in Italien du Klugscheißer.^^

[@deadplayer4231]

CrapzTimE Luxemburg, Lichtenstein und die Schweiz darfst du nicht vergessen

[@Dumpster3211]

The EU is not technically a country, but for people outside of the EU that underestimate how integrated it really is, I just tell them it's one country.

[@klaudusia9546]

"Is the European Union a Country?" American's : Yes

[@krhl9773]

You should go to school💀

[@klaudusia9546]

1. I'm going to school 2. It was a Meme/Joke Yk?

[@krhl9773]

xyz 123 you said american‘s, thats why yk?

[@klaudusia9546]

@@krhl9773 um bruh bc forget it :)

[@krhl9773]

xyz 123 my nigga deadass playin games💀

[@GroovingPict]

While the answer today is No with many caveats, it is moving more and more towards Yes with many caveats instead. It looks a lot more like a country now than 20 years ago for example, and that process is still ongoing. It is inching closer and closer to being a country like the US, with semi-autonomous states.

[@robinroos2254]

GroovingPict you live in Europe? Like all almost all damn countries want out and especially the people..

[@krashd]

@@robinroos2254 Don't speak for everybody, only the stupid and the gullible want out.

[@robinroos2254]

@@krashd lol

[@jdrummer29]

You may have answered this already, but are you originally from the US? I know you live in the UK now, but you definitely sound American.

[@Wendoverproductions]

Yep. Originally from the US but live in the UK. That's kinda the reason that we decided Real Life Lore would do "Is the US a Country?" and I'd do "Is the European Union a Country?"

[@jdrummer29]

Oh, awesome! Love your content.

[@glebsokolov8016]

Wendover Productions Why didn't you add Russia to European continent? :/

[@aleksandrnestrato]

Gleb Sokolov Geographic discrimination of the channel :)

[@glebsokolov8016]

***** Exactly! Knowing that even in Asian part of Russia 99 percent of population is European.

[@julianamonteiro9648]

Quite the opposite . For people born in 1999 like myself, who have known nothing but an united europe, the idea of it not existing is not a possibility . We are united because of it, developed, free, democratic, have power, are the centre of trade and close in culture, lifestyle, economic goals, etc . Someone who tries to convince you or anyone that the USA is more united than the EU is just bluntly ignorant . Look at today, the elections, never has a country been so divided like the USA apart from Germany in the post WW2 era. As for Britan , they never wanted to be a part of it, just look at it as a divorce. If you never wanted to get married in the first place, it will never work. I, myself, was born into what I refer to as a united family unit as opposed to a single - mother / father . That will always be in our favor . Obviously others don't want us to succeed because we are a threat to them and their power. Without us there would be no democracy or free world.

[@artificialintel838]

I'm born 86 and feel very european too. Younger generations tend to be more pro EU as we have seen in the Brexit vote where younger british people voted in majority pro EU. That makes me very optimistic that one day Britain will rejoin the EU. I hope the EU will become a real country with a strong parliament. That is the only way we can defend our values and deal with super powers like China & USA.

[@julianamonteiro9648]

@@artificialintel838 totally agree with you pal. Much love and health 🙏🏻🤞🏼

[@denis_denis05]

Well , it's not a country , it's a organization but it acts like a country . There are no borders , if you live in EU , you can legally work anywhere you want in EU , you can use your regional phone number in any EU's country without extra-cost (for example if you're from Greece and you go to Spain, you can use your Greek phone number without costs) . On any car's number plates there isn't the country's flag , it's the EU's flag . The EU acts equally for every country and it helps undeveloped countries (like Croatia , Hungary , Romania , Bulgary , even Italy and Spain as they were hit hard by coronavirus) to develop as fast as possible . As a citizen of EU , I don't see it as a dictatorship or that the EU is just Germany that wants to develop . It's more like making the population happy by improving the trades , the culture and by the cheap travel around the EU . And Germany , France and Great Britain had to spend a lot of money on the rest of the EU's members (eventually GB gave up) . It will pay off in a day I don't care what the fuck are you saying that's only dictatorship , bad laws and communism , as much as we live great and everybody can travel to EU as a tourist , I see it as a win . No war , trade and help to poor countries doesn't means communism

[@SCYN0]

Perfectly explained. If Poland Hungary would wanna leave they will see how the frictionless trade between EU members will miss them very much and they'll either see a recession and a less valuable currency

[@meatiesogarcia6478]

That's not the entire story. You're telling the bright side of the EU, and there is a bright side, of course. But the EU is considered a "dictatorship" because it doesn't function under the rule of the people. Nobody elects the Comission. Of the three branches of government showed in the video, only one is directly elected by the people, the powerless one. Also, European funds can be great to develop poor regions and countries, that's true. But it also puts those regions economically under the thumb of the rich ones, and make those economies dependant of the richer countries. Poorer countries receive funds from the EU, but also they cannot compete like a foreign country with tariffs, cheaper currency... Most of the EU has a single currency, but there is no single fiscality. That means the value of the Euro depends on the economy of the Euro region, but there is no European debt, because the countries finance themselves. That means countries have to compete in trade with one hand tied to the back. When a country's economy suffers a blow and the domestic market losses power, companies will want to try export to compensate, and a cheaper currency can make those exports happen (that has been China's strategy for decades). If the country devaluates its currency, its products will be cheaper in richer countries. But poor EU countries cannot do that, so it's more difficult to recover from recession. So that country's economy cannot improve, and therefore it's more difficult for that country to finance itself, because the interest is higher considering the poor state of the economy. That would be partially solved if the Euro region countries share the same economy, same rates, but no, that's not possible because the richer and more developed countries would be paying more and that would be unfair (and it would, as it is unfair for poorer countries to sell their products with a rich country currency). That means a country cannot do anything to solve its economic problems, it cannot get money from any other source than cutting expenses, like healthcare and education, so that country hinders its own path to developing, so people from that country have to flee to the richer countries of the EU (because there is no visa for working in the EU) so those richer countries can have cheap highly skilled labour and can develop even further and making things slightly worse for its own "rich" citizens... Also, companies can operate freely within the EU, but taxes are local, so companies will always base their operations (at least fiscally) in low tax countries that will be never consider tax heavens because they're part of the EU and tax heaves are for brown people in the Caribbean, not for responsible hardworking European countries. We can let the Greeks to rot for all we care, at least we can visit Athens without having to apply for a tourist visa (something SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO complicated for a German citizen, whose passport grants access to only 189 countries). Yeah, some of us are not as happy as the EU as some of you. Even though I don't agree with the British who vote for leaving, I cannot blame them for wanting out, even if it wasn't entirely sensible or rational. Mistakes were made ten years ago and nothing changed, and the same mistakes will be make in this current crisis, enough to make people who wanted to see one day the United States of Europe to curse that travesty of rotten future that it is the current European Union. "The EU acts equally for every country". What a joke, go tell it to Giorgios Papadopoulos, he'll find it funny as hell, I tell you that.

[@11Survivor]

@@meatiesogarcia6478 The EU acts equally for countries that pull their weight equally. If a country just waits for the cash cheque, it's not going to get a lot of support on the parlaiment.

[@chiisuigintou]

The EU was formed as a union to compete against NAFTA. This was based upon the BeNeLux union. This is also the reason why the headquarters is based in Belgium. You wouldn't call NAFTA a nation, so why would you call the EU a nation?

[@bemusedalligator]

that thing about subservient states made me think about how the HRE post golden-bull kind of fits the same criteria as the EU.

[@the_master_of_cramp]

I bet 99% of the people here don't know shit about whether EU actually benefits them or not. Including me. I mean you have to have so much knowledge in economy and politics, so much research to spend, more than just reading news. Analysing data for hours. You'd have to be at least a hobby scientist of economics. But still, nooo, there are so many people here who completely just reject the EU or who completely support it, instead of seeing it from multiple point of views

[@W.Gaster]

True that, I think that THE problem is seing it as something Just good or just bad On my personal opinion I think that it is positive,BUT to make it trully beneficial we have to do a lot of changes, anyways I do prefer building over that structure than other

[@subhadrasatyal100]

Even though I support the European Union, I don't want a United States of Europe. America is united because each state has a sense of being American, there isn't an America scepticism here. All states have one language, while more that half of European countries have their own language and culture. It just won't work, like the Soviet Union or Austria- Hungary.

[@juno6994]

Agreed

[@antoineaublin3812]

i mean, india is a country and still has many languages that are absolutely not mutually intelligible, and most states in india have a very distinct culture as well

[@vospersb.thorneycroft602]

Ever hear of California? That place is nuts lead by nuts voted in by nuts. But sooner or later the wheels are going to fly off and come the crash. The people might wake up before the place becomes another Venezuela, but I doubt it. All the UK has to do once it leaves the EU is form the Economic Commonwealth with UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and India. Scotland should stay and Ireland would be smart to swallow their pride and join! I would have included South Africa but those idiots want to confiscate land without imminent domain! Who is going to want to invest in there country? Just look what happened in Zimbabwe!

[@antoineaublin3812]

@@vospersb.thorneycroft602 my god your comment gave me a headache i feel like im reading a trump tweet

[@vospersb.thorneycroft602]

Antoine Aublin Suggest an aspirin. Sorry if you don't like the information. But CA is in deep trouble the unfortunate thing is most of the voters don't realise it. The UK has been in the Commonwealth far longer than the EU. The Commonwealth has come when called the EU? Who knows??? Suggest you try watching France 24 or DW and maybe the BBC.

[@delinger5296]

0:18 Hm, states of old Austria-Hungary.

[@BlaudracheLP]

The states of the Austro-Hungarian Republic :^)

[@thierryf67]

that's a real pedagogic video, thanks. As a EU citizen, i agree to your analysis. Even if i'm pro-EU, i know that it's not a country, but something different. I like the idea that countries (and the peoples within) which were fighting each other for centuries, decided to join each other in a common house, to prevent war inside, and share a better future. EU isn't a country, but it's an aim, an achievement difficult to reach, every day.

[@richardtaylor4362]

thierryf67 that is what the eu wants you to think, they want you to think the eu is there to prevent war but it is a lie, once they get their EU army it will be a genuine threat to European people and people beyond eu frontier. I would sooner eu was just a neighbourhood or club or forum.

[@billypazzo7080]

What are you on about. :/

[@billypazzo7080]

Now explain you line of thought, my good sir.

[@dragonjay7277]

If USA can be United as one country and rule the world, why Europe cant do it aswell. If we unite togheter we can be more powerful than any other country.

[@PatrikJJr]

You used Cz. rep., Slovakia, Austria and Hungary out of which only 50% use the Euro as their currency

[@alvarocd4357]

the EU is a confederation of sovereign states, that propobably in the future ends on a sovereing state. You can say that its something similar (in a simple way) to what USA was on the beginning. (sry for my english haha)

[@frankmcnally5993]

the USA is different because all Americans speak english. The eu has 24 official lnaguages and each country has a very unique history and culture

[@tawansrithrachaikul4573]

@@frankmcnally5993 the US does not have an official language. Each state has its own official language. Some no some yes duh 🙄 and not all Americans speak English

[@DamianDeEu]

'Is the European Union a Country?' No, but that's where I think the EU is actually heading.

[@shoowikaczynski2718]

Damian De unfortunately

[@liamdavis2387]

Good. The age of European superpowers is over. We can only remain relevant on the international stage as a unified country. A European Federation would solve this.

[@DerpSenpai]

no and it wont be, ever, like he said "its not his goal" the EU doesnt need more power from its countries, the only thing that can change is how the EU parlament works and those stuff, in lights of the recent populist urges brought by fear and faked terror. Though i wouldnt mind turning into a country, also reason for a change in how the Eu works should come because countries goverments say bs like "its the EU's fault we suck now!" when they are down and "We are good now, it was our work!" when they are good, basically shifting blame onto the EU, and thats exactly why the EU might change soon, so countries cant blame the problems they created on the union. The Eu actually protects their states from their own goverments to a certain extent and thats good. EU regulations are there and set in place to protect the citizen. Thats why the UK big companies wanted brexit, so they can stop following such rules and can work by the law of the UK only, so national companies gain from this, as they are more loose and multinational lose in that regard because of the market. just my 2 cents about the union, for all the haters.

[@richardtaylor4362]

João Cardoso You are wrong sadly, this has been a plan from the start, ever closer Union until it is too difficult to wriggle away, this is the critical year to come however, if LePen and Wilders win a referendum could happen in which case both France and the Netherlands would leave.

[@nattygsbord]

According to the 4 freedoms in the Maastricht treaty every country is forbidden to restrict the markets. Neoliberalism is state religion in the constitution. So if you don't want people fucked over by corporations and value democracy, the welfare state, government control over the economy and workers rights - well, then you should obviously wish for the EU to die.

[@bg1052]

3:40 that's not completely true. While the majority of our federal land is within a states territory, it's really only in practice. Federal land is completely under the control of the federal government. None of the states have any control over federal land. They just kinda say it's theirs without it really being theirs.

[@europeanunion9136]

11m?! My guy… literally only had to say “no”

[@mrsupremegascon]

It's a complicated question, EU is small detail away to be a country

[@Sir-Darmstadt]

“Is the European Union a country?” US: isn’t Europe a country?

[@Streamernews-j3b]

two videos from my favorite youtubers I think I will have a stroke

[@alanf3605]

would be amazing if in South America we had something similar to the EU but only with Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay

[@izumi.yoshida7]

Alanf360 rip paraguay

[@frnkr-ze2db]

Alanf360 trust me you don't want that we have a union which can't enforce it's laws on individual countries that's why Greece has such a debt problem they can take loans with low interest cause the people know that they will eventually get it back concidering that the government can't just print more money to pay of debt cause it's a multicountry currency this means eventually the other EU countries had to bail them out. but because we can't enforce the fiscal policies that would prevent this from happening in the future it will keep being a bad investment

[@rjfaber1991]

Chile would sooner join the EU than get together with Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, surely...

[@BlunderCity]

You clearly understand nothing about the Greek debt crisis!

[@williamadams2348]

Alanf360 eu is bad thats why we left

[@jacksmith8689]

Is greenland in the eu because of denmark being in the eu?

[@oliwiereb]

Nope.

[@oliwiereb]

Sir Klug von Scheiß no it's not

[@sion8]

Another thing that stops this from being a country, territories/dependencies of EU members can opted in or out of the EU themselves while their metropole country is a full member, but not the other way around.

[@JonathanDahlq]

Greenland is an autonomy country, pretty independent from Denmark. Denmark really doesn't have anything major to do there, so they take care of themselves.

[@sion8]

JonathanDahlq​​​​ Except the dowry Copenhagen sends the Greenlandic gov't every year as part of its budget, but besides that… also the fact Denmark takes care of military and coast guard duties because Greenland is still a constituent country of the Danish Realm, but besides that… also don't forget foreign relations with some Greenlandic delegates aiding the Danes, but besides that Greenland is very autonomous.

[@airmarshal4049]

The abbreviation of Council of the European Union to Council of Europe is erroneous: the Council of Europe is a completely different institution with different member states and a different purpose.

[@mattiasjonassen7752]

Not everybody in the eu use euro as a currency

[@mattiasjonassen7752]

Sry didn't see the whole video my fault just ignore it

[@miscellaneoof]

Us in the UK don't

[@gimmasecon3671]

DerkBerk463 UK isnt in the EU

[@BobTheTrueCactus]

Of course it is in the EU. It hasn't left yet - it has not even initiated the process.

[@scottmiddel6788]

gnu_andrew and poland

[@DianneAlexander4858]

Wendover productions: “The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland” Wales: *sad wales noises*

[@ashaydwivedi420]

Great Britain includes (most of) Wales

[@fbbmovies5823]

Is the EU a country? Is Russia a continent? Find out in the next episode of Xbox live

[@amareo4079]

@Kingshuk Monsur just smh

[@stephenmacknik3212]

You stated that US had no federal territory that wasn’t also state territory. Isn’t Washington DC federal territory that’s not claimed by a state?

[@rphxx6906]

Short answer: NO Long answer: THIS VIDEO

[@chiisuigintou]

Short answer: no Long answer: is NAFTA a nation?

[@stadom9553]

Not every EU country uses the Euro! Poland, Croatia, Czech Rep., Sweden, Denmark, UK, Bulgaria, Romania

[@petrmiros9908]

He said exactly that in 1:09 and even explained the convergent criteria. Use your eyes to watch the videos, not your ass.

[@james2042]

0:29 found the plane in this vid

[@namanjain989]

Hey the us has federal territory outside the states, and the uk has territories outside it's four member nations.

[@filpround1510]

At 1:10 you say that those countries are obliged to join the euro zone after they reach certain economic markers. Two of those, CZ and Sweden both currently meet the requirements and have before. Both of those countries have had better economic markers that half of the euro zone when those countries joined(greece, italy, spain, slovakia, slovenia). But the public in both those countries is strongly opposed to joining at this point. Not being part of the Euro is what helped CZ and Sweden weather the recession, and both economies have been booming over the last two and a half years, especially when compared to the rest of Europe. So I don't believe they will join even if they're 'obliged' to join, because over 80% of the citizens in each country is strongly opposed to dumping their autonomous currency and replacing it with the Euro. After the last six years I also believe a single monetary policy in the US is pretty destructive. A third o the states recovered relatively quickly and now have booming economies, a couple states have just recently recovered from the recession, and about a third of the states are still in crisis from complete mismanagement. The low interest rates from the Fed have been absolutely destructive in the states which wre properly managed and recovered quickly(skyrocketing property values and rents doubling or tripling over the last four years, while wages growth is just a bit slower, setting up the scene for another spectacular crash), and low interest rates haven't helped boost up the economies of states which don't seem to even want to be helped. The more diverse a population a single monetary policy covers, the worse off it seems.

[@damiengitt]

filp round they have their own currency but which is link to the euro as they can't let it fluctuate more Than a certain value up or down Not like the UK pound which is not bound to the Euro

[@TwistedChaz]

Damn, UK still highlighted as an EU country #feelsbadman

[@nattygsbord]

Well, you havn't Brexited yet ;-) But yea, I hope you get free from enemy occupation soon.

[@melodyclark1944]

Listen to the audio. He says that it has voted to leave but hasn't gone through the process yet.

[@richardtaylor4362]

Twisted Chaz I know I can't wait to leave

[@billypazzo7080]

I hope you'll have fun then. :)

[@TwistedChaz]

I know man. I say keep it highlighted!

[@Flimmertje]

Who cares? It will cease to exist in a couple of years anyway.

[@fusionxtrickz8403]

I'm slowly dying. 😂😂😂😂

[@HoubkneghteS]

it will be called europastan in 50 years but it'll still exist.

[@imalittlejuicebox7367]

yeah but it will be part of the european history

[@richardtaylor4362]

You'reInMySpot the people are the ones with potential not the stuffed suits in the parliament , those in charge are woeful custodians of Europe's potential.

[@EBTcraft15]

You'reInMySpot yeah, so much potential to crash and burn.

[@Jim54_]

When the Western and Eastern Roman Empires were falling apart, they splintered into small nation states that make up modern Europe (or at least their descendants do). On a number of occasions, these Roman rump states have attempted to recreate a Pan-European civilisation (not an empire in the late 19th century colonial sense). These attempts included the Justinian Reconquests, the Carolingian Empire under Charlemagne, the Empire of Charles V, the Empire of Napoleon, and finally the EU. I do not include Nazi Germany in this list as not only was Hitler regressive in relation to his views of uniting European civilisation, but he stated to Ribbentrop that he had no interest in a pan-European civilisation, only a Germanic one. And so, he sought to exterminate anything outside of his crooked vision. And so, we are the latest attempt since Napoleon to join Europe together, but instead of conquest, we chose democratic integration. Instead of pillage, we choose prosperity, in our quest to create a Social market economy and a democratic military power to defend ourselves. This is the basis of the PAX EUROPA

[@baljeep_gay]

actually, sweden has a permanent opt-out, just like the UK, we had a referendum some years ago about it.

[@gebys4559]

Sweden is delaying joining ERMII, that's not an opt out. There isn't really a mechanism to for EU to speed it up though. Only UK has an opt out, Danish one pegs their currency to euro.

[@luisraulraudales2468]

What would happen if Switzerland joined the EU and began using the euro

[@reargiro5102]

luis Rodriguez we will start a civil war. We will never be part of a tyranny over the people. Simple as that, because we are Swiss and simply not EU citizens. O government can decide for the people of switzerland. We the people are the highest part of our government.

[@luisraulraudales2468]

BOB Brown I see, but, (I'm guessing you're Swiss), I've always wanted to know, why are you so scared of joining the eu

[@Blaze6108]

They need to remain independent from any regulation to continue being a tax heaven and a no-questions-asked banking country. If they had to play by everyone else's rule they would lose that status and get a bit less rich.

[@nattygsbord]

Switzerland will have their laws written by Brussels. And you will be forced to follow the Maastrich treaty - so no more leftwing economic policies like stimulating your economy in bad times and you cannot nationalize certain industries if you wanted that. And the Euro isn't set for Swiss needs. Sometimes interest rates is too low and inflation too high... which can cause a bubble economy, and when a stock bubble or a housing bubble bursts, its gonna get very painful. Ask Ireland or Spain how a housing bubble feels like. It doesn't feel nice. And sometimes the problem is the opposite, the Euro got too high interest rates and inflation is too low. So if Switzerland economy a little sad and got high unemployment and needs a boost forward, then you want low interest rates and high inflation. But in this example you got the opposite. Which means Switzerland has to wait some extra years before the economy can get strong again. EU have also for a long time been interested in creating an own army, which is intentent as a force that rapidly could be send to a place anyware. And many EU critics mean that this force isn't intended for defensive purposes only like the old cold war conscription armies of Europe, but its rather a force for offensive operations. Like America which is involved in 7 conflicts right now. So for a nation with a long tradition of neutrality, the decision to join the EU might be controversial. The Lisbon treaty also demands that every country got a duty to help other EU countries if they are under attack - like France was by ISIS in the terrorist attack in Paris. I don't know about Swiss copyright laws, but Sweden had pretty liberal copyright laws before we joined the EU and we could download music and games and everything as long as we only did it for our own personal use. Well, the EU prohibited that for us in 2006.

[@nattygsbord]

So I say the Swiss should stay out. You have your neutrality. And you got the most industrialized country on earth. And your currency is hard and very sought after - and most importantly of all, its under your control and serves the best interests of your country.

[@alwinpriven2400]

No one recognizes it? well add a 1 to that nobody, 'cause now I'm recognizing it!

[@bvlampe6801]

no UN state recognizes it as a country. And that is fine, I wouldn't want the EU to become one big country. I like it as it is.

[@alwinpriven2400]

Well if we pay a bit maybe one will recognize it.

[@MrLukasboys]

No one recognises it, because it does not want to be recognised. You bet the moment it federalises it will get soaring approval, because you ain´t denying the 3rd biggest country in the world and one of the biggest economies.

[@MrLukasboys]

INTJ-Skorpyo7 What do you expect, the Euro is expected to take over the Dollar as the world standard currency and that ain´t happening with the current state of the Romanian economy.

[@thetom12395]

The eu has fucked us all we would be better off independent again all of the countrys

[@benjaminmarker]

I had no idea the rest of the EU also uses the Danish Krone.. Thanks Wendover, you sure know what you are talking about... I'll make sure to use them next time in the UK...

[@papafrancesco2937]

O Boy this is gonna get some Southern - European hate.

[@ironmark8975]

The south will rise again!

[@sirhcl8357]

Iron Mark You guys have to rise out of poverty first..

[@JoaoOliveira-rk8gv]

Racist

[@blacktempluh3360]

João Oliveira Uh, no? They are also white.

[@ironmark8975]

Thanks for nothing. EU.

[@GiletteRazorsharp]

Sweden is obliged to adopt the euro once we reach a certain economic target? No mate, we voted on that in 2003. And, economic target? Whatever that is I am sure we're passed it. I even think we have a higher gdp per capita than Germany.

[@nattygsbord]

We voted no to EMU. But it doesn't matter, because EU doesn't care about democracy. Its in the Maastricht treaty that EVERY COUNTRY MUST ADOPT THE EURO, and the question is only when. Thats why you sometimes can see EU friendly muppets saying in our newspapers that we should ignore the vote since we have already promised to join the EMU. And furthermore, we have also joined the totally idiotic, and totally unnecessary "economic target" (also known as the convergence pact"). Without any democratic vote as usual, of course.

[@GiletteRazorsharp]

nattygsbord This is incorrect. We are already "members" of the EMU. We don't have to adopt the euro. Get your facts straight before you start pushing agendas.

[@nattygsbord]

Source?

[@GiletteRazorsharp]

nattygsbord "All European Union Member States are part of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and coordinate their economic policy-making to support the economic aims of the EU. However, a number of Member States have taken a step further by replacing their national currencies with the single currency - the euro. " (source: ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/euro/adoption/euro_area/index_en.htm)

[@RoScFan]

mortelsson gdp per capita? LOOOOOl, poor countries have joined the euro: slovakia, lithuania etc. the eurozone condition are about inflation, debt, stability that kind of thing

[@Saperwill]

eu is not a country. its a club you can participate or leave

[@thetrippymushroom]

We can't leave EU because elected people are bribed to stay in EU...

[@lrs2319]

And what is for you the Brexit ? The name of the last blockbuster of Hollywood ?

[@Saperwill]

TaoTeKitten britain is leaving right now.

[@paulol7224]

**NO GIRLS ALLOWED** Anyone else remember those first grader jokes?

[@whydoievenbothertoputthish2199]

sarud durdstrom its a fucking crap club cus the cool kids need to pay and provide for all the bastards trieng to get in like greece portugal spain etc and now even a fucking turkey wants in dunno if club or a zoo xd

[@bmo3778]

TLDR: Europe fulfils many criterions to be defined as a country, but it never claimed to be one, nor have other countries considered it as one. so through common agreement/understanding, EU is not a country

[@ng1n369]

imagining a country just straaight up called "Europe"

[@JustRolly]

It's actually very simple. Italy, France, Germany: these are independent states, and they participate and directly respond to what is called the international law. California, Texas, Tennessee: these are NOT independent states. They are just federate states, which take part of the Federation of the United States of America, which is, on the contrary, an independent state. California doesn't participate in the international law, while France does. That's because California is not independent: it's unavoidably a part of USA which is a state with a central government that controls California alongside with all his other federate states. California cannot stipulate a treaty with states or international organizations. Therefore, we can say the European Union is just an international organization between independent, sovereign states. It's a political and economical union, whose goals are to ensure the free movement of people and goods in Europeans territory, and generally to pursue social and economic welfare, but it doesn't actually rule any population.

[@FirefoxisredExplorerisblueGoog]

8:11 "It is not one because sovereignty is neither it's goal or desire" Weeeeellll..... That's up for debate.

[@calibvr]

Ireland and Britain have their own Schengen zone