EU commission: Catalonia must leave EU if it leaves Spain

EUObserver reported that Catalonia's bid for independence from Spain hit a further obstacle after the European Commission's Spanish vice-president, Joaquin Almunia said in Barcelona on the 16 September 2013 that any breakaway territory would not be part of the EU.

Subsequently, a European Commission spokesman clarified that if a territory of a member state of the EU declares its independence, it becomes a 'third country' according to EU treaties. The spokesman said that in order for the Commission to formally rule on the issue of EU membership, a member state, in this case Spain, would have to request this. He also said any new or existing state was free to seek admission to the EU.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background Information: Catalan Day. Hundreds of thousands form human chain for Catalan independence http://www.europeansources.info/record/catalan-day-hundreds-of-thousands-form-human-chain-for-catalan-independence/

El País, 18.09.13: Catalonia would lose European status if it secedes from Spain: EC vice president http://elpais.com/elpais/2013/09/16/inenglish/1379339623_921254.html

CNA, 16.09.13: Almunia now states that an independent Catalonia would be out of the EU and the European Commission backs him http://www.catalannewsagency.com/politics/item/almunia-now-states-that-an-independent-catalonia-would-be-out-of-the-eu-and-the-european-commission-backs-him

Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 23.09.13: The European Union should step into the debate over Catalan independence http://bit.ly/15eMcHL

El País, 19.09.13: Mas confident independent Catalonia would keep European status http://elpais.com/elpais/2013/09/19/inenglish/1379603704_733338.html

El País, 23.09.13: PP floats non-nationalist parties’ pact against Catalan self-rule drive http://elpais.com/elpais/2013/09/23/inenglish/1379946471_556071.html

CNA, 20.09.13: The European Commission: “there are territories that are not EU Member States but use the Euro” http://www.catalannewsagency.com/politics/item/the-european-commission-there-are-territories-that-are-not-eu-member-states-but-use-the-euro

EUObserver [Opinion], 30.09.13: Would an independent Catalonia remain in the EU? http://euobserver.com/opinion/121565

Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 01.10.13: The Catalan independence movement has been more ‘emotionally’ driven than its Scottish equivalent http://bit.ly/16QiWkC

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