The news that the British Government is refusing to give full diplomatic status to the EU’s mission to London may not raise much interest in the wider world. But within the EU, its institutions and its member states’ Governments it will be noticed and remembered.
This has happened just when the UK has started a new relationship with the EU which is, according to the Prime Minister, its friend. A strange time, you might think, to pick an argument over diplomatic representation. It cannot but look like the most petty, puerile, childish and pathetic of issues to pick a fight over. The UK, after-all, signed the Lisbon Treaty which set up the EU’s foreign service and its ambassadors have served alongside the EU’s ambassadors around the world. It was not an EU institution the UK particularly wanted or needed, although it was very handy for smaller member states like Malta, which can’t afford to have embassies in more than a handful of countries.
But that is not the point, the UK will need to take part in endless negotiations with the EU in coming years over very important issues. Covering everything from; getting free movement for travelling musicians; to access for the City of London to vital European financial markets.
Deciding to thumb your nose at your new “friends” at the first opportunity, over an issue the general public doesn’t even know about is worse than stupid, it is a mistake.
https://jonty.substack.com/
Keith, Gordon Brown signed it on the Government's behalf, just because you didn't want it doesn't mean it didn't happen. If the EU wants to act as a state in this regard, we could always just humour them, it is called diplomacy after all. All the best J
Well I guess as you say Jonty I'm puerile petty and childish because I didn't sign the Lisbon Treaty and I don't see why a country needs 2 embassies. Each of the 27 EU members has a separate Embassy in the UK with diplomatic privileges. Why should the EU then have the same if it is not a single country it confuses and obfuscates. Clarity is surely they are either all one country or 27 but not both.