- vor 12 Stunden
Brexit: Hat Europa gewonnen oder verloren? EU-Abgeordnete debattieren in „The Ring“
Welche Lehren zieht Europa aus dem Brexit bei Souveränität, Migration, Wettbewerbsfähigkeit, Demokratie und Desinformation? Stärkt das die Integration? Im EU‑Parlament diskutieren Abgeordnete in der Sendung „The Ring“ über die Zukunft der EU‑Beziehungen zum Vereinigten Königreich.
LESEN SIE MEHR : http://de.euronews.com/2026/06/26/brexit-hat-europa-gewonnen-oder-verloren-eu-abgeordnete-debattieren-in-the-ring
Abonnieren Sie! Euronews gibt es in 12 Sprachen.
Welche Lehren zieht Europa aus dem Brexit bei Souveränität, Migration, Wettbewerbsfähigkeit, Demokratie und Desinformation? Stärkt das die Integration? Im EU‑Parlament diskutieren Abgeordnete in der Sendung „The Ring“ über die Zukunft der EU‑Beziehungen zum Vereinigten Königreich.
LESEN SIE MEHR : http://de.euronews.com/2026/06/26/brexit-hat-europa-gewonnen-oder-verloren-eu-abgeordnete-debattieren-in-the-ring
Abonnieren Sie! Euronews gibt es in 12 Sprachen.
Kategorie
🗞
NewsTranskript
00:10Untertitelung des ZDF für funk, 2017
00:41A decade has passed since the UK made the momentous decision to leave the European Union.
00:53After 47 years of membership, the Brexit vote sent shockwaves through Europe
00:58and reshaped Britain as we know it.
01:01Ten years on, seven prime ministers have come and gone,
01:05and this week another one met the same fate.
01:08In an emotional speech at number 10,
01:11Keir Starmer stepped down after days of mounting pressure.
01:15What has Brexit taught Europe about sovereignty, migration, economic competitiveness,
01:20democratic accountability and disinformation?
01:24Has it strengthened the case for European integration?
01:27And with memories of the referendum still shaping the political debate,
01:31could Britain ever consider rejoining the bloc?
01:33Or is that possibility still too politically divisive?
01:40The questions we have for our contenders, let's meet them.
01:45Barry Andrews, an Irish MEP from the Liberal Renew Europe Group.
01:49He's the chair of the Committee on Development,
01:52vice chair of the Delegation for Relations with Palestine
01:54and a member of the Delegation to the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly.
01:59On the 10th anniversary of the Brexit vote, he says,
02:02Brexit was and is a con job.
02:05The UK has not been as invisible and irrelevant on the European stage as it is now,
02:10since, in my view, before the Battle of Agincourt of 1415.
02:16Sander Smit, a Dutch MEP from the European Conservatives and Reformists Group.
02:21He serves in the Committee on Constitutional Affairs
02:24and has also been vice chair of the Committee on Fisheries
02:27earlier in the current parliamentary term.
02:29We still deeply regret Brexit and miss the UK's crucial voice
02:33for fiscal and financial discipline in the European Council, he says.
02:38Our future lies in a stronger partnership.
02:40Let the UK and EU countries move beyond the past
02:44and work together as natural sovereign allies.
02:50So Barry Andrews and Sander Smit, welcome to The Ring.
02:53Thanks for joining us.
02:54So here we are, 10 years on.
02:57Has Brexit helped or hindered the European Union, Sander?
03:00I think it has really hindered the European Union in achieving a union
03:03which also takes into account several national sensitivities,
03:07also protects the national veto.
03:09I think the United Kingdom would have been a very valuable ally
03:14for my own member state, but also for other member states in council
03:17and for my group in particular.
03:19Of course, the ECR group was founded by the British Conservative Party
03:22and we still sorely miss them, I think.
03:25You would agree, I'm sure, Barry Andrews, with that.
03:27The EU is in a weaker place now.
03:29Well, I think definitely the UK is in a weaker place.
03:32I think the European Union has a capacity to evolve
03:34and I think there has been very significant developments
03:37in the European Union in the last 10 years and in the world.
03:41And the basic lesson is that we live in a much more contested world
03:45and we're much better together as an EU 27.
03:48So I think that we are beginning to learn that lesson.
03:51But for the UK, it has been a total disaster.
03:53What other lessons has Brussels and the EU learned in the past 10 years?
03:57I think we should learn from Brexit, first and foremost,
04:02that we need to respect national sovereignty,
04:05maybe also have tailored membership,
04:08not doing away with the Copenhagen criteria,
04:11but certain opt-outs and not have a one-size-fits-all approach.
04:15And I think not controlling migration,
04:19not taking into account these national specificities
04:22has really also caused Brexit.
04:24So I think we need to self-reflect a bit.
04:27I think if you did self-reflect,
04:28you would recognise that actually Britain had a very tailor-made membership
04:33of the European Union for an awful long time,
04:35including being outside Schengen, including being outside the Euro,
04:38and having a very, very differentiated form of membership.
04:43And this still wasn't enough on this occasion.
04:45And what has happened since then in the UK
04:48is that there has been a massive peak in migration.
04:51The UK economy has gone down very, very substantially.
04:54As we've just heard in the introduction,
04:56they've had seven prime ministers.
04:57So this is a state of governance, which is absolutely disastrous.
05:00Oh, I absolutely agree.
05:01I just meant that if we as a European Union
05:04want to have the United Kingdom work together with us
05:07or eventually rejoin,
05:09I sense that you would be open to that,
05:11but you can comment on that later.
05:12We need to take into account these specificities.
05:16But now we see the European Commission
05:18and also European leaders
05:19evolving towards a more centralised approach of the Union
05:22with less tailor-made, less opt-outs,
05:24less possibilities to take these national issues.
05:27And we'll come back to that shortly,
05:28but I want to go back to the UK politics
05:30because, of course, seven prime ministers
05:32have come and gone since the Brexit vote.
05:34Is this because of Brexit,
05:35this political chaos we're seeing in the UK?
05:37Well, I mean, there's nobody looking
05:39to leave the European Union anymore.
05:41And there is a waiting room for membership
05:43that is bursting at the seams.
05:46So the one big takeaway is that,
05:49I think, in the contested geopolitical world
05:51that we live in now, we're much better together.
05:53Mark Carney articulated that very well
05:56for middle-sized countries, for Europe, for Canada.
05:59So I think Britain has learned that lesson
06:01in a very difficult way.
06:03Because we remember 10 years ago,
06:04when the vote happened,
06:05Nigel Farage said the European Union was dead
06:07and, quote, finished.
06:09We saw Marine Le Pen, Gerd Filders,
06:11calling for their countries to have a referendum.
06:13That's off the table now.
06:14It's all off the table.
06:15And even Mr. Willis never mentions Brexit
06:18or Brexit anymore.
06:21So, I mean, you know, it's for slow learners.
06:25We now have had a laboratory example
06:28of what happens when you leave the European Union,
06:30when you try to take back control,
06:32when you try to do things by yourself.
06:33It is clear that this has deepened
06:36the European Union's roots.
06:37It has enhanced the European Union's reputation.
06:40And that's why almost all of our neighbourhood countries
06:43are thinking about joining, including Iceland,
06:45including Norway,
06:47including all the Western Balkans
06:48and Eastern Europe.
06:50And what about the situation in the UK?
06:52The EU and the UK were just getting back on track
06:55with those relations.
06:56An EU summit was supposed to be taking place
06:58at the end of July.
06:59It's now off the table.
07:00So what will the latest chaos mean for this relationship?
07:03Two things I would say to the Commission.
07:05First of all, it's right to delay the summit.
07:08Absolutely.
07:09I think the first point is
07:11that you have to anonymise relations with the UK.
07:13You can't, it can't depend on the personality
07:16of the Prime Minister,
07:17particularly where you have Farage
07:19quite high in the opinion polls.
07:21So I think the European Commission
07:23has to recognise this.
07:24Plus, it cannot continue to treat the UK
07:26as an ordinary third country
07:28because the UK is so aligned
07:30with our key interests as Europe.
07:32And I think a lot of UK politicians recognise this.
07:35The Commission has to recognise that too.
07:37And during the very lengthy negotiation period,
07:39the divorce period, if you like,
07:41was the EU fair to the UK, do you think?
07:44I think in many aspects we were very fair.
07:47If I look at fisheries,
07:48we really took a huge portion
07:53out of our fishery rights, etc.
07:55So I think the European Union has been right,
07:57but tough.
07:58I think maybe in some aspects too tough.
08:00So that's also my suggestion.
08:02Let's work together closer.
08:04Let's move past the past bickering
08:07and find new solutions
08:09because I think that will also pave the way
08:11for new candidate member states
08:14like Iceland and Norway.
08:15And if we don't improve the relationship
08:18with the United Kingdom in the future,
08:20I think if we have a referendum in Iceland
08:22upcoming and show signs of that development,
08:25we will eventually end up also losing
08:27these candidate member states
08:28who do fulfil the Copenhagen criteria.
08:32But I just want to bring in an incident
08:34that took place in the European Parliament chamber
08:35just last week in Strasbourg
08:37when MEPs, when you were voting on measures
08:39to increase the deportation of undocumented migrants.
08:42Take a look.
08:47On the agenda, the report by Mrs. Brickmont
08:52on the EU-Pakistan agreement
08:53modification of concessions on tariff rate quotes.
08:59Vote on consent by roll call vote.
09:02The vote is open.
09:12We move to the...
09:17It's adopted.
09:21So a flavour there of what's going on
09:23inside the very European Parliament chamber.
09:25Chandr Schmid, what were you chanting?
09:27I was not chanting.
09:28Not...
09:29I don't think chanting belongs in a parliament.
09:31That way I did applaud the outcome
09:33of the result of the vote.
09:35And were you sitting beside the chanters?
09:36Yes, yes.
09:37They were to the left of me,
09:38so in the right-wing groups.
09:43This is a good glimpse of the kind of divisiveness
09:46that we can see right now in politics,
09:49right here and, of course, across the pond.
09:50Yeah, look, it was a disgrace.
09:52It was an appalling low point
09:54in my experience in the European Parliament.
09:57I voted against the measure.
09:58I have a very clear conscience about that.
10:01And what I was very disappointed about
10:03was that some members of your party online
10:06described one of our colleagues,
10:08who was originally from Iraq,
10:10that she should go home.
10:11Now, that should be withdrawn.
10:13That is the subject of a complaint.
10:15And I would put it to you
10:15that you should recognize
10:17that that was a mistake.
10:19Whatever about not chanting in the parliament,
10:21but encouraging one of our colleagues,
10:23who wasn't born in the European Union,
10:25to go home,
10:26surely that's an unacceptable political approach.
10:29I wasn't there at the incident
10:31that I can't vouch for how it was formulated
10:34by my colleague and how it was intended.
10:37So I think...
10:38But what we're seeing here...
10:39I think if we look at the outcome of the result,
10:41everyone who is an EU citizen,
10:44who holds the right to be here,
10:45can remain in the European Union.
10:46This is about the return of illegal migrants,
10:49illegal aliens,
10:50who have penetrated the European Union
10:52without a right to asylum and to remain here,
10:55to return hubs under the full compliance
10:59with EU and international fundamental human rights.
11:02It's just interesting because Brexit, of course,
11:04was driven largely by migration concerns,
11:06and we're seeing that right now in the EU,
11:08the bloc taking much tougher policies
11:10when it comes to migration.
11:11Has Europe moved closer to the position
11:13that won that Brexit referendum, Barry Andrews?
11:15Yeah, my view is you can't beat the far right
11:17by becoming far right.
11:18That way they win and you lose.
11:20So I think it is a major mistake here.
11:23I think, you know, Sanders says
11:26there is human rights conditionality
11:29in relation to these return hubs.
11:31But let's not forget,
11:32there are human rights clauses
11:33in the EU-Israel Association Agreement,
11:36which have been willfully ignored
11:38by the Commission for three years
11:39in spite of the ongoing war crimes,
11:41in spite of the ongoing statements
11:43made by certain Israeli ministers
11:46in relation to European citizens,
11:49in relation to Palestinians at the West Bank.
11:50So I take no comfort from the presence
11:53in this agreement of human rights conditions
11:55in relation to return hubs.
11:56Quick reaction to that?
11:57I do.
11:58I think that we uphold the rule of law
12:00as European Union,
12:01and we will also do this in the return hub
12:03in safe third countries.
12:06And I think a lot of the Irish voters
12:07will also be disappointed
12:09that you voted against the result,
12:10which is the last building block
12:12of the EU migration and asylum pact,
12:14which you supported in the last term.
12:18Will be disappointed that I voted against it.
12:21That is correct.
12:22But that's the essence of populism,
12:24that you're determined by whatever current...
12:27Now, what I try to explain to our citizens
12:29is that, yes, we have a new migration
12:31and asylum pact.
12:32It only came into force two weeks ago.
12:34We also have migration conditionality
12:37in a lot of our external relations.
12:39We also have memorandums
12:40of understanding and returns.
12:41And my argument is that
12:42we should let all of this work
12:44before we go down
12:45on what was a taboo subject
12:47just a few years ago
12:48about sending families and children
12:51to places they've never had
12:52any connection with
12:53to satisfy this demand
12:57in circumstances
12:58where asylum applications
12:59are going down in the European Union,
13:01where deportations are actually going up.
13:03This is the wrong time to do this.
13:05And we have done extensive reporting
13:06on that topic here on Euronews.
13:08And we've also done previous editions
13:10of The Ring,
13:10so catch up with them.
13:11But now it is time to move on
13:13to our next round.
13:18Now you've already got a glimpse
13:19of what happens inside
13:20the European Parliament Chamber,
13:21but now I'm going to give you another one
13:23because there MEPs also ask each other
13:25direct questions and follow-up.
13:27So here on The Ring,
13:28you'll also have that opportunity.
13:30So Shander Schmidt,
13:31please address your very first question
13:32to Barry Andrews.
13:33Barry, the United Kingdom
13:35was our strongest ally
13:36for fiscal discipline,
13:37resisting EU debt schemes
13:39and protecting national sovereignty,
13:41also for Ireland.
13:42Do you still miss the British Prime Minister
13:44in the European Council
13:45to help us protect national vetoes?
13:48And would you actually welcome
13:49the EU back into the European Union?
13:52A couple of questions there, Sander.
13:54So first of all,
13:56yes, of course,
13:57we'd welcome the UK
13:57back into the European Union.
13:59I think of all EU member states,
14:01Ireland was most aligned
14:02with the UK actually
14:03on a whole range of issues,
14:04particularly around trade,
14:06the provision of financial services,
14:07but most importantly,
14:09peace on the island of Ireland.
14:10and the Ireland and the UK
14:12pulled very hard
14:13in the same direction on that
14:14and the European Union
14:15acted as an honest broker
14:16and really helped us.
14:17So for me,
14:18there's absolutely no question about that.
14:20In terms of veto power
14:21and the protection of veto power,
14:23I think that has held
14:24the European Union back,
14:25whereas other major global actors
14:27are able to act quickly.
14:28We take an inordinate amount of time
14:30and we're being held hostage
14:32by single individuals
14:34in the European Council.
14:35And now your question.
14:36So my question is
14:38how the ECR
14:40are making arrangements
14:43with far-right MEPs
14:46in the European Parliament,
14:47some of whom are pro-Putin.
14:49How do you explain that
14:50to your voters in the Netherlands
14:52that you are making these alliances
14:54with pro-Russian parties
14:55and pro-Russian actors
14:57in the European Parliament?
14:58I think it's not about
14:59making alliances
15:00with pro-Russian parties.
15:02We have a broad centre-right majority now,
15:04new majorities
15:04in the European Parliament,
15:05which vote along with us
15:07as an ECR,
15:08where we firmly support Ukraine.
15:09So there's no doubt about that.
15:11And if they vote along us
15:13in supporting, for instance,
15:16the return regulation
15:17proposed by EPP Commissioner
15:19and by the Commission
15:20of Ms. von der Leyen,
15:21not by far-right populists,
15:23but by the European Commission,
15:24we safeguarded,
15:25we defended the proposal
15:27of Commissioner Brunner there,
15:29then there's no case
15:30of us collaborating
15:31with any such parties.
15:33but I do not uphold
15:34a firewall
15:36or a cordon sanitaire
15:37if people want
15:38to support my proposals.
15:40That would be
15:40political suicide.
15:41And I'm sure
15:43that certain
15:43of your own proposals
15:44and amendments
15:45have been voted
15:46in favour of,
15:47also by far-right parties
15:48in committee votes.
15:50There's a difference
15:51between passive support
15:53and actively collaborating
15:55with these parties
15:56on amendments
15:57and issues like that.
15:58So is your point
15:59is that you don't
16:00actively collaborate
16:01with the far-right,
16:01the pro-public?
16:03We've worked with
16:04all democratically elected
16:05representatives
16:06in this House
16:07and if they want
16:08to support us
16:09on issues
16:09such as return regulation,
16:11combating illegal migration,
16:13then I fully support
16:15such cooperation.
16:16and there's no threat there
16:18or danger
16:19of legitimising
16:20their positions
16:21in certain other issues.
16:23There we have
16:23a very strong stance
16:24and there we are also
16:25really aligned,
16:26I think,
16:27in many issues.
16:28Okay.
16:28Well, we've heard
16:29the views now
16:29from the MEPs
16:30and you've had the opportunity
16:31to address your questions.
16:32Now it's time to hear
16:33from a new voice.
16:38I'd like to bring in
16:39the voice of Richard Corbett,
16:41former British Labour MEP
16:43who became one of the leading
16:44political and academic voices
16:45in the debates
16:46over EU membership
16:47and reforming the bloc.
16:49He was actually in Brussels
16:50this month
16:50to mark the 10-year anniversary
16:52of Brexit
16:53and meet a group
16:54of British nationals
16:54who walked the whole way
16:56from London
16:56to the European capital.
16:58Take a look.
16:59Alexander Stodd,
17:00President of Finland,
17:01came all the way to London,
17:02Chatham House lecture
17:03to say we want you back.
17:05Donald Tusk, Poland,
17:06says we dream of Britain
17:07coming back.
17:08Pedro Sanchez, Spain,
17:10says Brexit was a mistake,
17:11you should come back in.
17:12They do want us back.
17:14Why?
17:15Look at the geopolitics.
17:17Look at the geopolitics.
17:19Richard Corbett
17:19making the point there,
17:20making the pitch
17:21for coming back
17:21into the EU.
17:22Now that was one of your questions
17:23actually for Barry Andrews
17:24earlier.
17:25Would you like to welcome them back
17:26and is it necessary now
17:27due to the geopolitical world
17:28we're living in?
17:29I think I would
17:30really welcome them back
17:32because we really miss them still
17:33also in the European Parliament.
17:34The British Conservative Party
17:37is still sorely missed
17:38I think in my group as well.
17:40But I think it will be
17:41an evolution
17:42in the coming years.
17:43We have other parties
17:44as Barry said
17:45in the UK
17:46now contending
17:47and I think we have to work
17:49towards rebuilding trust
17:50and confidence
17:51also by having
17:52a more pragmatic approach
17:53not a dogmatic
17:54not a bickering
17:56approach of the past
17:57not to be too tough
17:58but really open up
17:59to the United Kingdom.
18:01And the world is a much more
18:01dangerous place
18:02since 10 years ago.
18:03Now we do know the EU
18:04and the UK
18:05have signed a defence
18:06and security partnership
18:07back in May 2025
18:08but is this working out?
18:10Look there's just not enough
18:11political energy
18:12behind this.
18:14Obviously Keir Starmer
18:15has had his problems
18:16and the Commission
18:18has had a very full agenda
18:20so the European Union
18:21UK agenda
18:22has been very strongly
18:23pushed by Mara Sefcovic
18:25let's be absolutely clear
18:26about this
18:27but I am concerned
18:29about the slow progress
18:30on things like
18:31the ETS
18:32electricity trading
18:34SPS
18:35you know food
18:35and those relationships
18:37which we should be able
18:38to improve
18:39much more quickly
18:40than is the case.
18:40And with the world
18:41in turmoil
18:41and the EU hoping
18:42to invest more
18:43in defence and security
18:44especially with the US
18:46pulling out of NATO
18:47there's a big gap
18:48in the budget now
18:49since Brexit.
18:50We've seen like
18:50between 10 and 12 billion
18:51euros less
18:52in the coffers
18:53because the UK left.
18:55What does that mean now
18:56for the EU's ambitions
18:57to invest in defence?
18:59I think the UK
19:00are major military power
19:02also capable of investing
19:03and we really miss them there
19:06so as I said
19:07we sorely miss them
19:08also in this dimension.
19:11And is there a solution
19:11for the EU
19:12to muster up the money itself
19:14try and leverage
19:14the EU budget?
19:15That will mean
19:16that net payers
19:17such as my own country
19:18have to pay more
19:19and I'm not really
19:20in favour of
19:21having the defence
19:22which is primarily
19:23a national competence
19:25transfer to the EU level
19:27because really
19:28that development
19:29in the past
19:30also led to Brexit
19:31and also in my own
19:32member states
19:33if the net contribution
19:34of my own member state
19:35were to increase
19:37I think that would
19:38decrease also support
19:39for the European Union
19:40which has increased
19:41in the recent years
19:42so I think we should
19:43leave it there
19:44and find pragmatic
19:45solutions there.
19:46Okay, I want to dive
19:47deeper into that topic
19:48but first
19:48let's take a break
19:49here on The Ring
19:50stay with us though
19:51here on Euronews.
20:01Welcome back
20:02to The Ring
20:02Euronews' weekly debate show
20:04I'm Maeve McMahan
20:05and I'm joined by
20:06Sander Schmitt
20:07Dutch MEP
20:07from the European Conservatives
20:09and Reformists
20:10and Barry Andrews
20:11Irish MEP
20:11from Renew Europe
20:13and today
20:13we're talking about
20:14how the EU
20:15is doing
20:1610 years after
20:17the Brexit referendum
20:18and if the country
20:19of 69 million people
20:21could ever rejoin again.
20:22To get the view
20:23from Europeans
20:24on whether
20:25they should one day
20:26rejoin
20:26we consulted some data
20:27from the European Council
20:28on Foreign Relations
20:30that says
20:3066% of European respondents
20:33quote
20:34strongly support
20:35or tend to support
20:36UK membership.
20:37Support
20:38varies significantly
20:39from us.
20:4056% in Bulgaria
20:41and 59% in France
20:43and Italy
20:44to 75%
20:45in the Netherlands
20:46and Denmark
20:47and backers
20:48of far-right
20:48and Eurosceptic parties
20:49favour stronger
20:50UK-EU ties
20:52including supporters
20:53of Germany's AFD
20:54and France's
20:55national rally.
20:57So interesting
20:57data there
20:58and many sharing
20:59your view
21:00that they do
21:00indeed miss
21:01the Brits
21:01and they'd love
21:02to invite them back.
21:03Your reaction?
21:04Yeah, well actually
21:04the figures are very similar
21:05to the polling figures
21:06in the UK
21:07so whereas
21:08it was 52%
21:10to leave
21:10now the figures
21:11are the other way
21:12there's most
21:13UK people
21:14consider that Brexit
21:16it was a mistake
21:16they consider
21:17that rejoining
21:18is the correct way
21:19so really
21:20there's hugely
21:20fertile political
21:21ground available
21:22to whichever politician
21:24has the courage
21:25to articulate
21:26return to the European Union
21:27and to put that
21:28to the people
21:28and I think
21:29that the European Union
21:30should respond to that
21:32and provide a pathway
21:32to such a politician
21:33if they do have that courage.
21:35And how should that path look?
21:36Are we talking about
21:36the red carpet
21:37being rolled out
21:38or are we talking about
21:39stricter membership
21:40no more opt-outs?
21:42I think we need
21:43opt-outs as well
21:43because we'll never
21:45get them back
21:45if we're too dogmatic
21:47too strict there
21:48so I think
21:49we ought to offer them
21:50the old package
21:51So you almost want
21:51to go begging them?
21:52The old package
21:53I think
21:54that would be
21:55then that's also
21:56what British voters
21:58and British citizens
21:59who were polled
21:59remember
22:00so if we come up
22:01with other
22:02extra regulations
22:03we need more pragmatism.
22:04That's a very interesting view
22:06do you think
22:06other Europeans
22:07and European leaders
22:08would be on board
22:09with this?
22:09No, they wouldn't
22:10because clearly
22:11we do have
22:12differentiated accession
22:14so Ukraine
22:15may come in
22:16in the next few years
22:17but I anticipate
22:18that it will be
22:19on different terms
22:20to Western Balkans
22:22for example
22:22and I think
22:23the UK
22:23as a former member
22:25should be treated
22:26in a differentiated manner
22:27but I don't see
22:28the European Council
22:29supporting the idea
22:30of going back
22:30to the original
22:31package of rebate
22:33outside Schengen
22:34outside the Euro
22:36I think some of those issues
22:37will have to be
22:38spoken about
22:39so while the UK
22:41are saying
22:41they want to return
22:42to the European Union
22:44the majority
22:44when you put
22:45the actual package
22:46it might be
22:47a different story
22:47so that debate
22:48has to happen
22:49in the UK
22:49initially
22:50before we have
22:51any discussions
22:52at the European Union
22:52and 10 years on
22:53from now
22:53how do you visualise
22:54the European Union
22:55will it be enlarged?
22:57it will
22:57in my ideal vision
22:59will be
23:00slightly
23:01maybe enlarged
23:02but enlargement
23:02is not a goal
23:03in itself
23:04I'd like to have
23:05the United Kingdom
23:06back
23:06and I think
23:06Norway and Iceland
23:07are perfect examples
23:09within the European
23:09economic area
23:11already
23:11to join the European Union
23:13but if European leaders
23:14are too tough
23:15and we don't
23:15have this pragmatism
23:17towards the United Kingdom
23:18now
23:18in the upcoming months
23:19this might only
23:21also slow down
23:22or close off
23:23the same development
23:24in Iceland
23:25and Norway
23:27follow it
23:28yeah I agree
23:28I think if we have
23:29a positive discussion
23:31about the UK
23:31I think the reputation
23:33of the European Union
23:34would be very very
23:35profoundly enhanced
23:36by seeing the UK
23:37recognise that it was
23:38a mistake to leave
23:39and to begin
23:40the process
23:41of applying
23:42to rejoin
23:42and just a final point
23:43on EU enlargement
23:44could the EU function
23:45as 30 or 35
23:47with this current veto system?
23:49well look
23:49back in 2004
23:51when we had
23:51the biggest accession
23:53when all of the countries
23:54of central and eastern Europe
23:55joined
23:56the argument was
23:57the European Union
23:58is not going to be able
23:59to function
23:59without really expanding
24:01QMV
24:02and withdrawing veto power
24:04in fact
24:04Ireland
24:05and other smaller member states
24:06insisted on keeping
24:07veto power
24:08and making sure
24:09that we limited QMV
24:10and the roof
24:12hasn't fallen in
24:13in fact
24:13the European Union
24:14does continue
24:15to operate quite well
24:16having said that
24:17from a foreign policy
24:18point of view
24:19I believe
24:19that there are areas
24:20where there should be
24:21an expanded QMV
24:22is that pragmatic?
24:24no as Barry said
24:25I think the European Union
24:26should continue
24:27as it is
24:28as the treaty is now
24:29with the veto
24:30the number of veto
24:31vetoes
24:32and policies
24:33has already
24:34been limited
24:34in the past
24:35before the treaty
24:36of Lisbon as well
24:36and I think we now
24:38have to safeguard
24:39this unanimity principle
24:41especially if we want
24:42the UK back
24:43if we want Iceland
24:44and smaller member states
24:45like Norway
24:47potential member states
24:48to join
24:49and it will really
24:50scare off
24:50these potential
24:52or real candidates
24:54if we abolish
24:55the national veto
24:56and for my own
24:57member states
24:57it's also been
24:58very important
24:59not only for Ireland
25:00but for other
25:00smaller member states
25:01to uphold the veto
25:03okay well it is now
25:04time to move on
25:05to our fifth
25:05and final round
25:11and like always
25:12to close
25:12we do something
25:13a little bit different
25:14I'm going to ask
25:15our MEPs
25:16a set of questions
25:16and you can only answer
25:18with yes or no
25:19is that doable?
25:21maybe
25:22is the European Union
25:24to blame for the
25:24Brexit vote
25:25yes or no?
25:26yes
25:26no
25:27is Nigel Farage
25:29perhaps to blame
25:29for the Brexit vote
25:30yes or no?
25:31yes yes and yes
25:34is Nigel Farage
25:35to blame for the Brexit
25:35vote yes or no?
25:36yes yes
25:37was Brexit a wake-up call
25:39for the European Union
25:39Shander?
25:40yes
25:41yes I think that's fair
25:42I think
25:43yeah I think
25:44it's forced the European Union
25:45to reflect in a way
25:46that it hasn't done
25:46for a long time
25:47and is the European Union
25:49more democratic
25:50now today
25:51than it was
25:5110 years ago
25:52yes or no?
25:53there has been
25:54no treaty change
25:54so no
25:55it hasn't changed
25:56no
25:57did disinformation
25:58decide the referendum
25:59in the UK
26:00yes or no?
26:02yes I think
26:03yes Cambridge Analytica
26:04Russian money
26:05massive disinformation
26:06and will the European Union
26:08ever speak with one voice?
26:09yes
26:12yes
26:14and is Ursula von der Leyen
26:16a good leader
26:17yes or no?
26:18no I don't think so
26:19yes or no?
26:21sometimes she's good
26:22on Israel
26:23she's been a disaster
26:24is the EU doing enough
26:26to stay competitive
26:27against the US and China
26:28Shander?
26:29no absolutely not
26:30we need more deregulation
26:31no
26:32and has the European Union
26:33become too dependent
26:34on regulation?
26:36yes or no?
26:37yes
26:38yes
26:39that is the big debate
26:40of course
26:41of Brussels today
26:42should national vetoes
26:43in foreign policy
26:44be abolished?
26:44I know your answer
26:45no
26:46no
26:47and some instances
26:49yes
26:49good to have allies
26:50in renew as well
26:51has the EU green deal
26:53strengthened the European economy?
26:55yes
26:55I don't think so
26:57not overall
26:59and will we see another Brexit
27:00in the next 10 years?
27:02no way
27:02no
27:03and one final question
27:04is the future
27:05of the European Union
27:06bright?
27:07yes or no?
27:08yes
27:11come on Sander
27:12you know the right answer
27:14yes
27:14if we
27:15uphold the national veto
27:16and respect
27:17this national sovereignty
27:18as well
27:19and on that conclusion
27:19we can bring this edition
27:20of The Ring
27:21to an end
27:22we'd love to hear as well
27:23from you
27:23the ring
27:24at yournews.com
27:25that is our email address
27:27Barry Andrews
27:27and Shander Smith
27:28thank you so much
27:28for being our guests
27:29thank you so much
27:30for watching
27:30take care
27:31and see you soon
27:32we'll see you soon
Kommentare