[j7f3]

Not in this particular case. Like others have pointed out, it is not in the best interest of EU to give UK a sweet deal and it is not that hard to understand why. UK has had a sweet deal with the EU full of exceptional treatments. It can veto anything it wants and frequently exercises its right to do so but does not contribute much to the common piggy bank. But now UK wants to leave altogether, will not contribute financially at all but will have an even better trade deal? What message does it send to those who are loyal members of EU? That they will be financially penalized for their loyalty? There is no way Britain gets a decent deal at all.

I read that about 5% of EU's trade is with UK. It's not insignificant but it's not the end of the world if it goes down to 0.5%. We will fuck UK over, good riddance, we will be stronger without UK, now we will finally pursue tighter integration without fear UK will sabotage such attempts.

[marvin]

This is just a ridiculous brinkmanship issue all the way around the table. The current situation with the exit vote wouldn't have been necessary if the concerns of the Leave side had been taken seriously by EU leadership (more local governance, for instance).

Now we're in a sorry situation where each party's incentive is the opposite of what is required for a healthy economy, and the important decisions require referendums and take a very long time. The fact that the vote to leave was mostly supported by older voters is a tragedy for the future generation, who do not have a straightforward way of having their concerns heard in the coming decades.

[emptyfile]

By "the concerns of the Leave side" you must mean the main point of the Leave camping, abolishing freedom of movement in the EU?

Goodbye Britain, don't let the door hit you on the way out.

[saiya-jin]

no, now incentives in EU are to have healthy EU economy, without caring about UK one. this means rest of states will stay together for example. which could mean punishing UK financially for this silliness. you express UK-centric view, this is EU-centric one that goes beyond individual state/industry. UK goods become more expensive? well then some intern EU ones might become more interesting.

[gonvaled]

We are tired of your exceptionalism. You had a great (unfair for the rest) deal, and you were still complaining. We do not care one bit about the “concerns of the leave side“. Just go.

[mcv]

This is the reason why I think losing the UK may not be all that bad for the EU. The UK got a very sweet deal, and was very obstructionist in return. Leaving and getting a reasonable deal outside the EU may be better for the EU, and maybe the UK will be happier there.

I think vindictive sanctions or refusing new trade deals with the UK would be stupid, childish and harmful for the EU. I hope they work together on a reasonable and fair deal. And then maybe the EU can move forward towards a closer union, and maybe also address some of the problems with the EU, because it's hardly perfect.

[gonvaled]

No vindictive sanctions, just a deal on EU terms. The UK can take it or leave it.

[UK-AL]

So Germany will risk 1\5 of German car workers because it wants to send a message?

[barrkel]

There are no circumstances whatsoever that the EU will give the UK a trade deal like Norway / Switzerland / Iceland / etc. without the UK paying for the EU budget and allowing free movement of people, for example. All the things that the UK population voted against are exactly what prevents them from getting a trade deal. Something will have to give.

If you want to go with the rationalist perspective you seem to be advocating, then the UK government will have to be anti-democratic and strike a deal explicitly against their citizen's declared interests.

(This vote is particularly vexing for me since I'm Irish (voted stay) and now will have to sell my house in order to leave. Quite upsetting, overall.)

[Tomte]

Why should 1/5 of car exports lead to exactly the same propostion of lost jobs? That argument even prima facie wrong.

And it's not about Germany. It's about 27 countries, some of which don't even like Germany too much right now.

[kodfodrasz]

Sanctions against Russia hurt the German economy, and the workers, just to send a message.

Accepting lots of troublesome unskilled illegal immigrants hurt the German economy, and the workers, but sent a message.

I think I can see a pattern here...

[_pmf_]

> So Germany will risk 1\5 of German car workers because it wants to send a message?

Let's be clear: it's the UK that felt obliged to send a message.

The rest of Europe's countries does not have delusions of grandeur and feel disenfranchised by foreign workers making minimum wage.

[eva1984]

They can sell cars to other countries. And UK will still buy them, just fewer.

[tonyedgecombe]

Germany is only one of 27 countries making this decison.

[Atropos]

Yes. I am German and pro-European and I would happily take a deal that our GDP will be cut 20% if UK's GP is cut even 10% in return. Not to punish the UK, but to firmly establish the principle that leaving the EU is painful. While this might not be the optimum from an economics point of view, it serves to keep the European Union alive - which is much more important in the long run (no more war etc...).

[beninvalencia]

"We will fuck UK over" "Now we will finally pursue tighter integration"

I have to say, with this kind of attitude, I am even more glad that the UK has left the EU. Who would want to be partners with this kind of spite and hatred?

[Sean1708]

> "We will fuck UK over"

Has the EU actually said this or is this just what people on the internet are assuming?

[lostlogin]

Why did you want to leave?

[speleding]

It's 5% for Europe on average, but for Germany and the Netherlands it's much higher (15% for the Netherlands). No politician in his right mind is going to risk that to spite the British.

[sievebrain]

Leaders of EU countries are generally not in their right mind though. Merkel has flat out said that the EU for them is an emotional issue not a logical one.

This vote will set in motion a chain of events that can reshape politics across the continent. The EU leaders who have little to lose will use their votes to force the UK's main trading partners (Germany, Netherlands, Sweden etc) to start a trade war with the UK, at the same time as the UK is wanting to sign trade deals. This will piss off the populations in those countries. Referendums may well follow there too.

[roymurdock]

> now we will finally pursue tighter integration without fear UK will sabotage such attempts

Or other debtor countries in the EU will see this as a chance to possibly get out of the union and "start over" as it were.

[kodfodrasz]

> now we will finally pursue tighter integration without fear UK will sabotage such attempts.

Hitler and Stalin will be proud of their heritage.