Economic integration through the EU is unlikely to increase support for independence movements in European states

Independence movements have gained prominence across Europe in recent decades, most notably in Scotland and Catalonia, but what impact does European integration have on this process?

Dawn Brancati writes that integration through the EU has often been argued to raise the likelihood of separatism as it reduces the economic need to remain part of a larger free trade area such as the UK or Spain, while also giving an incentive to act as a smaller independent state in EU decision-making.

She argues, however, that in practice this effect is limited by the fact separatism relies on pre-existing domestic factors and because the economic benefits of European integration are not always visible to citizens. Moreover, seceding states may face problems joining international organisations such as the EU post-independence, particularly when the state they have seceded from is already a member.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background informaton: Scottish independence: Europeans with an eye on Edinburgh http://www.europeansources.info/record/scottish-independence-europeans-with-an-eye-on-edinburgh/

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