EU membership: the facts

On Thursday 23 June, the UK will vote on whether to retain EU membership or call it quits. Here are some impartial facts about the EU to help you make up your mind, without any of the scaremongering or warnings of World War Three.

Sovereignty

EU make directives and regulations which EU countries are then required to comply with or to put into national legislation. Unelected European commission propose and draft legislation but it must then be approved by elected European parliament and Council of Ministers.

Immigration

Although there is freedom of movement within much of the EU, the UK remains outside the Schengen zone of free movement. However, individuals from EU member states do have the right to stay and take up work in the UK.

Trade

Official statistics show that in recent years the EU has accounted for about 45% of UK exports and over 50% of UK imports. However, non-EU, and particularly Asian, economies are becoming increasingly important for UK trade.

Security

UK is currently a member of the European Arrest Warrant, which helps extradition of criminals to their home countries. The UK, as a member of the EU, is also under the jurisdiction of EUROPOL, which assists EU member states to fight international crime and terrorism.

Cost/benefits

£18bn is the EU membership fee. However, the UK get an instant £5bn rebate, meaning membership is effectively £13bn per year. We then get EU subsidies, so each year the actual figure we contribute is closer to £5bn – £10bn. This doesn’t take into account any economic benefits we may get from access to the European market, or the environmental and social benefits of some EU legislation.

Economy

The impact of leaving or remaining on the economy varies widely depending on the type of trade deals the UK manages to make with the EU and other countries. In the best-case scenario with maximal deregulation, the UK would be richer by 1.6% of GDP. The worst case could see a 9.5% reduction of GDP.

Employment

As a member of the EU, any UK citizen has a right to work in any country in the EEA without a permit. There are also an estimated 3-4 million jobs linked to the EU, however these are linked to EU exports and not EU membership directly.

For more information on the runup to the referendum, click here.
For a guide to the EU jargon, click here.