Is the European Union a Country?

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Sound by Graham Haerther
(www.Haerther.net)
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Attributions:
European Parliament photo courtesy Diliff
US State flag map courtesy WonderWhy
Indonesian Ambassador to the EU photo courtesy Security & Defence Agenda
Ambassador of the EU to the US photo courtesy Friends of Europe
Israel recognition map courtesy Chocofrito

[@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

[@vacaseba1234]

I live in Italy

[@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

[@harrylocatelli8979]

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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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

[@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

[@rox10.07]

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....

[@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

[@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

[@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

[@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.

[@PirateDogAMV]

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

[@tomaslesko6543]

It's a *"* country *"*

[@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?

[@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

[@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]

@@SilverBirdCinematics 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.

[@chaunceyloveshack9530]

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

[@starcobra2575]

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

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@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)

[@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 !

[@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!

[@wyattmccarthy1225]

5:19 Found Waldo!

[@Phoenix_The_HeroHater]

Huh,neat

[@H-N-K]

Wow same

[@dazza2350]

Waldo?

[@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

[@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

[@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*

[@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!

[@xxDrain]

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

[@malyngar4854]

xxDrain nice :)

[@xesphor1436]

me too

[@gregormcintosh4525]

xxDrain leeeeeeeeel

[@delinger5296]

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

[@BlaudracheLP]

The states of the Austro-Hungarian Republic :^)

[@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💀

[@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.

[@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!

[@bobashkov1407]

Great video, awesome channel. Just wanted to point out that "criteria" is plural for criterion.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@james2042]

0:29 found the plane in this vid

[@eliyasne9695]

3:45 There's federal land, that is entirely controlled by the federal government and not by the state. (Even though its technically in the state borders)

[@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😂

[@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

[@sophiatheczech1918]

"They use same currency" screaming in Czech intensifies

[@tomaslesko6543]

You will in the future though.

[@sophiatheczech1918]

@@tomaslesko6543 Not even current President want to use Euros, so very far future.

[@tomaslesko6543]

@@sophiatheczech1918 yes. Very far. Česko bude jeden z posledných členov ktoré príjmu euro, ale raz to bude musieť prísť.

[@sophiatheczech1918]

@@tomaslesko6543 Podle mího by to bylo lepší kdyby jsme začali používat eura.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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?

[@2229286]

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

[@PatrikJJr]

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

[@wojtekpolska1013]

About the Euro Zone (€) the case (in some not all) is that peoples there just dont want to change the currency and if EU have told them to use € they would just make a referendum in order to keep the old currency

[@davidradimersky5463]

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

[@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.

[@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...

[@superHornet007]

Where is this place at 6:54 ? It's so beautiful!

[@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

[@gabbercharles4513]

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

[@hannestorstensson8845]

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.

[@jangobo8716]

1:10 Economy is not a problem. The reason why is, (for example in CZ) that majority of inhabitants does not want the Euro.

[@KartonRealista2]

Not true. Even if that is the case, you don't meet the guidelines: ec.europa.eu/info/publications/convergence-report-2020_en Search for "Czechia"

[@jangobo8716]

@@KartonRealista2 Oh you were right, thanks for the information

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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

[@bs5199]

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

[@Flat_top_king12]

Whats the music in the background, i hear it on every channel but no one puts it in the description

[@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.

[@naruciakk]

You use the best font ever on this video

[@chomasthan]

will there any plan to renew this video like per 5 or 10 years?

[@BetterThanYouAnyway]

I came here just to say what ay stupid question, but video ended and it was actually very well presented and informational. Question well handled.

[@Taric25]

"A lot of you ask how you can support the channel." I have never once seen a KZbin comment asking this, ever.

[@Simon-zq9cw]

Taric Alani well duh 🙄 he said it pretty much since the beginning of the channel so nobody has to ask

[@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.

[@novabloom9476]

There is a fifth criteria for the declaration theory being that a state is recognized by other states which is why many countries don't view places like Vietnam a country because according to the criteria they're a territory

[@GuadalupePicasso]

Maybe it was just when I was there in late 2018, and maybe it was only for buses, buuuuuut when I took a bus to Berlin from Prague, there was definitely a border stop.

[@inkyscrolls5193]

#SaltIsASocialConstruct

[@juno6994]

@@strawberrysoup1 yes, that is true.

@@strawberrysoup1 give it a try then

[@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

[@wojtekpolska1013]

3:40 tho US has oversea teritories that arent part of any state and are just teritory of USA

[@osobori]

Their overseas territories are very autonomous and usually have an official language other than English

[@mangalores-x_x]

The European Commission does not work like the Executive, they work like the bureaucracy serving the executive because they can only implement/propose policy signed off by the EU Council in the first place. The often cited democracy deficit of the EU is in fact not the Commission, but that the EU Council has the double role of heads of the executive as well as controlling the legislative. Thing is, in a confederacy you have it weighted that way as the EU countries remain fully sovereign and thus only laws can be passed the nations have already given their go ahead on. And the only interesting question about whether that makes a country is that the US in its infancy was meant to work with a similar focus of the states being sovereign while creating a united outside front against foreign powers.

[@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.

[@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

[@dreamofsprings]

"Use the same currency" Visible confusion as swede that travels sometimes to germany through denmark

[@duncanwalsh7337]

Uk and Ireland aren’t in the schengen zone as they share an open border in Northern Ireland

[@bricksburger5409]

The zone for the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland only work between eachother

[@adhamhmacconchobhair4407]

That's for peace keeping reasons..

[@adhamhmacconchobhair4407]

-Northern Ireland was colonised. -Wasnt gave back to Ireland post independence -civil war broke out -a treaty was made -in the treaty northern ireland can vote to join Ireland and an open border will he kept either way Problems: -colonists get the vote Future: -if they vote and win, civil war will break out again -if they dont vote civil war will break out again

[@FirefoxisredExplorerisblueGoog]

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

[@moi4791]

Damn, all the hate in the comments...I'm actually proud to be European...

[@alex2022anticoruptie]

90 % are russians trolls payed to hate European Union , 10 % are morons

[@foorack]

Well said!

[@hansgruber788]

what does that even mean?

[@foorack]

What do you mean? 🤔

[@hansgruber788]

What does it mean to be "proud to be european". What is it to be european?? I don't have a fucking clue its so generic its as if he said proud to be human. Thats how little the concept of europeanism means to me

[@fatcole1152]

Salt is a bad example In chemistry, a salt is a chemical compound consisting of an ionic assembly of positively charged cations and negatively charged anions, which results in a compound with no net electric charge

[@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?

[@fiffi5318]

Im proud of beeing in the eu, After thousands years of war, we can finally work together.

[@DeaNizBack]

haha another reedneck :). Calls himself "anti-feminist" and fears "an islamic invasion". dude get some help

[@fiffi5318]

wtf, we wont get the sharia

[@fiffi5318]

Andrew Jackson you are wrong madude, I mean im very sure that there are a Hand full of rules that are the same, but if you are a Bad guy you still have good ideas, I mean hitler build the Autobahn.

[@venkatsusheelg9658]

still cant be country we already achieved it as India. : P

[@rusthomas8710]

as an american that's the way i see the EU and i won't apologise for it.

[@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

[@Shopwood100]

Your map seems to suggest that Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man are part of the UK. They're not; they're Crown Dependencies, separate from any country of the UK and with their own governments but subservient to the Crown of the UK.

[@jamesmcpherson1590]

Correction: At 3:38 he says "states act kind of like mini countries, and there's really no federal territory that is not part of a state's territory. This is incorrect. Washington DC is a federal district that is not part of any state.

[@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

[@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

[@DianneAlexander4858]

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

[@ashaydwivedi420]

Great Britain includes (most of) Wales

[@clairasva9243]

The information in this video is not completely correct as Czech Republic has the economical status to apply for for Euro currency, however the population is not keen on changing the currency (Koruna)... On the hand Slovakia is currently using Euro currency.

[@MINDAUGAS716]

1:02 Just a little mistake: Lithuania is in the euro zone since the start of 2015

[@MINDAUGAS716]

so yeah

[@bfedezl2018]

SAD BOY You made me sad

[@Huma270490]

I'm proud to be European as I'm proud of being Spanish. Probably my generation, including me, have the feeling of being part of our country above the feeling of being European but there is no doubt that on the future it is very possibly a future with Europe as a country, every new generation is feeling more European and letting a side where they come from, and it could be a great future to see.

[@nikoe9933]

THANK YOU Finally someone in the comments that isn't anti EU. By now i thought i was the only one

[@ViquelOoste]

dietis13 That's the dumbest i've read overe here

[@ViquelOoste]

dietis13 don't be a foul, read 1984 and realize how Oceania is close to our modern EU, you even use the emotional argues "huhuhuhu we don't want war" like if countries today would be likely to launch a world war, it's just a common argue for flee the real questions : why should we be a part of an institution that we don't elect but wrote laws leading us into shit economy, giving power to banks, and ruining our cultures ? Haven't you seen what happen in Africa since end of colonies ? They're in civil war everywhere, because Eu country when they left them, drawned bords countries pretty badly, and mixed cultures and ethnicies, so peoples not speaking same language, not having same religion, not having same cultures, were forced to live together, and that's what will happen if EU keep try to avoid root of peoples, they'll end up having people harassed to have their cultures destroyed and left behind. And it even already happened in Europe with Yougoslavia shit, so don't be a foul, Eu is nothing more than a economical disaster for us, a destruction of our root, and the end of any sovereignty for let the power to very few who are friends with banks.

[@trulyUnAssuming]

ViquelOoste you elect the european parliament and your state government. And the EU consists of the parliament you elected and delegates from states governments, which you indirectly voted for as well when you voted for your states government. So stop spouting that lie, that the EU was not elected.

[@Syl75]

The EU has totally perverted the original European project. It became a technocratic, antidemocratic and neoliberal structure which turns the countries into provinces. The peoples never wanted that but the EU and the national politicians don't give a damn about. The argument of the war is bullshit. The war will not come back if the EU fails. We are no longer in 1914 or 1939. The European peoples learnt to know each other and none will want war. It's actually the EU which set again the countries and peoples against each other and is likely to lead to the war.

[@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?

[@petrmiros9908]

Also having its own army is a characteristic of a sovereign state, which EU has not but is working on it to the great displease of Russia. There is strong push towards making EU a state like the US (there is also push against it). Some countries are failing the economical criteria for accepting Euro on purpose as a delay tactics (Czech rep. eg.). Great summary however.

[@rphxx6906]

Short answer: NO Long answer: THIS VIDEO

[@chiisuigintou]

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

[@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.

[@namanjain989]

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

[@johanfagerstromjarlenfors]

Well... not specificly ”a country” but like a federation.... almost like for example USA. The ”states” of EU have their own governments etc... but have to lksten to the EUs own government etc... Though it will be quite wierd cause like for example germany is on its own a federation. What also make EU not being like a country or federation is that not all of the members have the same currency. I know that sweden ”have to” start using the euro due to the contracr with EU and so but for some reason we had an vote about it in sweden like 20 years ago and the results were no... and swedes for some reason think that that voting was official to the EUs parlament... but it was just a local or more precicly ’national’ thing.... so that we have to fill some kind of points before entering euro is just buklshit... if swedens citicens had voted yes we would have had euros since like 18 years or something... but sweden was so fucking dukb that we voted no and didn’t attatced our currency to euro or so like denmark did... so now we stuck with our currency allways wobbling up and down compared to euro ao that one day euro is as cheap as 8kr but next day as expensive as 12kr... denmark instead have their currency attatced so that a euro always costs the same... also they have a contract that says they don’t have to switch currency to euros.... bit sweden has to switch and i just say that we should do it NOW!! Preferably like 18 years ago but better late than never... Another thing that makes EU be far from beeing a country is that all members have different cultures.. and then i mean very different. I mean like... within an european country there are quite big differences depending on region and so.... but between countries of europe that would be way to big differences to form a country. Also the fact that there are so many different languages and different language families toghether with this cultural differences... well.. that would be a little like the US, Russia, Saudiarabia, mexico and china would form a nation togheter... that just wouldn’t work... Even though the EU exists and almost can be considderent as a federation like the US... NO it’s still very far from even be able to be considered a country ;)