Individual Associate EU Membership Reveals Brexit As Pointless

When the idea of individual UK citizens being allowed dual citizenship of the EU came out, I thought it was basically a political stunt.  I rather agreed with the motivation behind it and thought it was rather a neat stunt.  It was a fairly benign stunt as well since it was one that nobody could lose from.  The furious reaction from leavers was both amusing and also sort of the point.  They were probably already imagining how embarrassing having perhaps a million British people volunteering for EU citizenship would look for their case.


But it seems that the EU was serious and will be including the proposal in the Brexit negotiations.

Now I have had a chance to re-evaluate it as a serious policy proposal, it sounds pretty good to me. The right to travel, settle and do business in the EU is well worth paying for both in terms of money and in having a second passport.  (I am assuming it will be necessary to have both a UK and an EU one.   If it turns out to be practical to settle for an EU alone then so much the better.)  If it also comes with the right to vote for an MEP then even better, since the EU will carry on doing a lot that affects me personally so having a say in its deliberations is worth something.  And having a tangible proof that I am not a UKIP type that I can carry around with me and leave lying around where people I am dealing with can see it is pretty hand on business trips too.

So my reaction is basically, where do I sign?

It seems like a big win for the EU too.  Anything that reduces barriers to people doing business in the EU is a good thing.  So by this fairly minor concession they can encourage people based in Britain to trade with them.  It is advantageous for Britain as well for much the same reasons.  So basically it is a win win.

The case for Britain reciprocating and giving EU citizens the same rights to dual British/European citizenship is pretty compelling too.  It isn't exactly the same as free movement of course.  There are still some barriers there, they are just fairly low ones that won't put too many people off.

The only downside is that it does highlight rather clearly just what an empty and pointless gesture leaving the EU is.  Given how much Brexit is going to cost, that is going to piss a lot people off.