Following on from his previous post https://sayyes2europe.eu/2015/10/10/brexit-nothing-more-than-a-contemporary-mode/ Dave Matthews continues to explore the questions about what happens in the event of a Brexit.

There are some huge questions being bandied around the UK and Europe at the moment, concerning our presence and access to the Single Market after an Exit from the EU. Being part of the Single Market entitles UK Citizens to many individual benefits. (See link for more information: http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/).

However, the question we should pose to many Anti-EU campaigners is where will these rights be, if we are not able to join the Single Market?

If we are allowed to re-join the EEA, how long will re-entering the Single Market take?

These questions are all disputed, and with this in mind let’s take a look at a few of the actual facts about exiting the EU:

1. Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty explains that if a member wishes to leave the existing regulations will cease to apply two years after giving notice, unless the exit agreement says otherwise. But any exit agreement is subject to a majority vote from the other member states. In other words unless continuance of the trade agreements and citizens rights are included in any exit agreement it will be as if they never existed.
2. Re-joining the Single Market and Digital Single Market will mean paying 80% of the EU fees but with no say in any future agreements.
3. Having no access to the Single Market and Digital Single Market would mean starting from scratch with everything, relying on Chinese and American business, renegotiating from scratch with 27 European countries and all in all decreasing the value of our citizens by making them work more to fill the giant gap created in the economy
4. Leaving the EU will result in the 27 members voting on a deal for the UK concerning economic implications. This debate has to work in favour of the EU and not necessarily in the UK’s favour.
5. If the UK decides to restrict employment and residency rights of EU/EEA migrants. The EU will do the same to Britain.
6. Leaving the EU will mean EU immigration force tactics won’t apply to the UK, therefore permit France to allow refugees to board trains and ferries to the UK.
7. Stress levels amongst pensioners already living abroad, or in the process of retiring abroad are high, due to the uncertainty of a Brexit. Very unfair, and shows aspects of not looking after our own.
8. Pensioners and Expats who are already abroad are becoming apprehensive about what will happen to their pensions after a Brexit as there are so many unanswered questions.
9. Leaving the EU will cause huge problems for academics and scientists who are currently fully involved in cross-border programmes funded by a common EU pot.
10. No other country in the EU has voiced their efforts to leave the EU as much as Britain. The continent’s general consensus is satisfied with the overall European procedures.

After reviewing many of the anti-arguments for an EU Exit. It all really comes down to the fact that some of our media has been representing the EU in a very bad light. In recent years we have become the most anti-EU country in Europe simply because the benefits of membership have never been passionately or effectively voiced. The fact is we do not know what will happen after a Brexit, whether our European rights will slowly disappear or if we will flourish as a county and regain everything we had before. These are all pending questions that have not been answered answered. Leaving would really be a giant leap into the unknown.

What people in the Remain campaign have on their side are solid facts. We know what will happen if we remain in the EU. Exactly what is happening now, bar a few renegotiations on Cameron’s part, and such things as the abolition of roaming charges in 2017.

If we leave we put so much at stake and cause stress and anxiety to millions of people in the UK and abroad, so what really is the point in leaving?

Dave Matthews, Vienna