[ad_1]
At the same time, State Councilor Eichtinger regrets that Britain did not initially participate in the new “Erasmus +” program of its own free will. But here too the door remains open: “The UK is always invited to participate in the project on the basis of a special contract. Both parties would benefit from this. “
Great Britain remains an important partner for Lower Austria
Great Britain the ninth largest export partner in Austria and the eleventh largest in Lower Austria. “Last year, goods worth around € 500 million were exported from Lower Austria to Great Britain. The agreement is a compromise, but it is extremely important for both Austria and Lower Austria, ”Eichtinger said, explaining that around 1 million liters of Austrian wine are consumed in Britain each year. Most of the wine exports come from Lower Austria, the state with the largest wine area.
The agreement appeared to fail due to fishing quotas and common competition rules
The interests of the EU and Great Britain in concluding the agreement were very different. With an export share of around 5% of European exports to Britain and an export share of just under 50% of UK exports to the EU, the unequal bargaining partners were pitted against each other. While the EU was interested in fishing quotas for European fishermen, the UK wanted duty-free access for its products to the European internal market, the world’s largest economic area.
“The agreement is, on the one hand, a compromise and, on the other, a starting signal for future negotiations, because numerous contracts related to the sector must be concluded so that cooperation can continue,” said Eichtinger.
Lower Austria benefits from Brussels funding
“The decision to leave the EU for Great Britain was made democratically and it was also a great disappointment for me. The reasons that led to this were and are very complex, “explains Eichtinger and continues:” A central element was certainly the fact that the European successes were not transmitted to the British population as such, although Great Britain had largely been benefited from their membership of the EU, “said Eichtinger and sees it as a task to bring people even closer to the advantages of the European community.
“In Lower Austria, our aim is to communicate the benefits of the EU even more forcefully. The significant funding from Brussels goes directly to Lower Austria and its communities and increases the quality of life for citizens. We invested 1 euro in the EU budget and returned 3 euros in financing to Lower Austria, “said Eichtinger.
With the Europa Forum Wachau format and the associated shows that take place regularly, people are directly involved on the site and asked for their opinion on current issues in the EU. “The interactive model of citizen participation aims to motivate young people, in particular, to transmit the European idea so that Europe can continue to grow together,” said Eichtinger. Given the pro-European attitude of British youth, Eichtinger does not rule out the possibility that Britain could return to the EU in a few years.
[ad_2]
