Could a ‘reverse Greenland’ arrangement keep Scotland and Northern Ireland in the EU?

While no member state has ever left the European Union, Greenland opted to leave the EEC in 1985. Ulrik Pram Gad assesses what lessons the case of Greenland might have for the UK following its decision in June 2016 to leave the EU. He suggests that while the two situations are radically different, Greenland could serve as inspiration for a model in which Scotland, Northern Ireland and Gibraltar could retain membership of the EU while England and Wales pursue their own arrangements.

ESO: Background information: Brexit against the wishes of Scotland and Northern Ireland would violate the UK’s constitutional settlement http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-against-the-wishes-of-scotland-and-northern-ireland-would-violate-the-uks-constitutional-settlement/

ESO: Background information: The EU Referendum, 23 June 2016. The United Kingdom and the European Union. The results http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-eu-referendum-23-june-2016-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union-the-results/

ESO: Background information: The EU Referendum, 23 June 2016. The United Kingdom and the European Union. The results - Scotland - Reaction to EU referendum result http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-eu-referendum-23-june-2016-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union-the-results-scotland-reaction-to-eu-referendum-result/

ESO: Background information: Government response to calls for a border poll [The EU Referendum, 23 June 2016. The United Kingdom and the European Union. The results. Reaction in Northern Ireland] http://www.europeansources.info/record/government-response-to-calls-for-a-border-poll-the-eu-referendum-23-june-2016-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union-the-results-reaction-in-northern-ireland/

ESO: Background information: Chief Minister’s Statement to the Gibraltar Parliament on return to Gibraltar from London on Post Brexit Meetings http://www.europeansources.info/record/chief-ministers-statement-to-the-gibraltar-parliament-on-return-to-gibraltar-from-london-on-post-brexit-meetings/

ESO: Background information: Brexit lessons from Greenland and Venezuela http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-lessons-from-greenland-and-venezuela/

openDemocracy: oD:UK, 24.06.16: A reverse Greenland: the EU should let Scotland stay https://www.opendemocracy.net/uk/adam-ramsay/reverse-greenland-letting-scotland-stay

Carnegie Europe: Strategic Europe, 29.07.16: To Brexit or Not to Brexit—or Both? http://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/?fa=64197

Intereconomics, Vol.51, No.4, July-August 2016: What May Not Happen in UKexit http://archive.intereconomics.eu/year/2016/4/what-may-not-happen-in-ukexit/

---