Ministero dellIstruzione dellUniversit e della Ricerca Ufficio Scolastico

Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca Ufficio Scolastico Regionale per la Sicilia LICEO STATALE “Vittorio Emanuele III” Liceo Classico – Liceo Scientifico - Liceo Linguistico PATTI (ME)- Italy Progetto ERASMUS+ 2015 -2017 Coordinatore del Progetto: Dirigente Scolastico Prof. ssa Grazia Gullotti Scalisi Workshop «BREXIT: yes or no? » Patti, 05/04/2016

: yes or no? What is Brexit? ? Brexit is a shorthand way of referring to a possible British exit from the EU. It is a word that owes something to the term “Grexit”, which has been used for several years to refer to the possibility that Greece might leave the eurozone. As serious as the Greek debt crisis is, the prospect that one of the EU’s biggest and richest economies would leave the bloc is much more momentous. That is the issue at hand in the UK’s imminent referendum on EU membership David Cameron, UK prime minister, has set the date for Thursday June 23 Remember: at the moment the UK is not in the Eurozone and does not share the Schengen Agreement

• The road to the referendum was a long and tortuous one. In 2006, as leader of the opposition, Mr Cameron gave a “cast iron guarantee” that he would hold a referendum on the EU’s Lisbon treaty — but the Labour government ratified that accord without such a vote. • Mr Cameron became prime minister in 2010 as head of a Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition and soon had to withstand pressure about a Europe vote from two fronts: from the pro-exit UK Independence party and from restive Eurosceptics in the ranks of his own party. Finally, in 2013, he promised an in/out referendum on EU membership — if the Conservatives won the 2015 election. • When election night came around Mr Cameron did not expect an outright Conservative victory — nor did almost anybody else. But the party secured an absolute majority and the referendum is going ahead.

? YES! Who supports it? The Better Off Out campaign is supported by thousands of ordinary people, as well as some MPs, Lords, journalists and opinion formers. The main supporters of Members of Parliament are, for example, Douglas Carswell, who said he believes in an indipendent Britain that would be better Off Out the failing European Union. Others are Jeffrey Donaldson and Gordon Henderson. Philip Hollobone states that millions of British people have never had the chance to vote on whether or not to be in the EU. In 2006, infact, you had to be at least 49 years of age to take part in the last UK referendum of Europe. On the 26 th February, the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, confirmed his intention to support the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union. He sustains that the permanence in the UE would represent an erosion of democracy.

• Why? The main reason that brought to the discussion about whether UK should remain in the UK or leave is the duty to accept too many people from outside the country. After the discussion evolved, English saw there actually many more advantages leaving than staying. Since when England entered the union, its economy hasn’t improved (linked to this relationship) and its presence only served other members economy. In fact, if England ever left the union, being the fifth largest economy in the world, wouldn’t be discriminated in trades like pro-staying people say. Instead, every country, mostly the EU members, would be looking for any compromise to enter English trading nets. Moreover, about what concerns the internal advantages, England shouldn’t give any more contribution to the union, that nowadays takes 9 billions each year, and could spend those money for citizens’ needs. And anyway, since joining the union, UK had a loss in its representation (20%>9%) that caused the loss of say in EU decision- on 576 proposals that became laws, England voted against 485 of them- and so it couldn’t stay in the union anymore under these conditions.

? NO!! • Who is against Brexit? Why? Most of the members of the British government are sided with David Cameron in favor of the permanence of the country in the European Union highlighting the risks, especially economic, in which the United Kingdom might run leaving the Union. About 200 British business managers including Vodafone, Marks & Spencer and BT have signed a letter published by the Times to say that "leaving the EU would discourage investment, would threaten the work and would endanger the economy. The UK will be stronger, safer and richer remaining a member of the EU ". Among the signatories there also 36 presidents or directors of companies in the FTSE-100 of the London Stock Exchange object of a renewed interest by the part of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange for a merger that can get through only without Brexit. Missing the managers of several major British companies, some favorable to Brexit, while others are determined to stay out of the propaganda for or against the Brexit. Meanwhile, the rating agencies are in favor of the permanence of UK in the Union.

After Moody's rating agency, Fitch also warned that a possible Brexit would create immediate disruption in almost all economic sectors and significant risks over the long term. "The protracted negotiations and uncertainty about the future access of British businesses to EU markets for the forthcoming referendum on EU membership would weigh on confidence and would delay investment decisions. This would have a shortterm economic cost, although the precise impact is uncertain”, wrote Fitch.

Possible consequences of the Brexit on Europe

Italy and Brexit “Brexit would be terrible for Great Britain but I bet on Cameron”. These are the words of our Prime Minister Matteo Renzi during an interview. Given the potentially detrimental political and economic consequences of a Brexit, the Italian government has supported a middle ground solution, whereby the EU would allow the UK some reforms. However, Italian endorsement of British requests for a renegotiated membership has been quite generic. In particular, Prime Minister Renzi backs Cameron in the need for a less bureaucratic and more democratic Europe, one that fosters economic growth through effective free competition and employment. Yet, there areas where Italy is not willing to compromise. Therefore, while the Italian Prime Minister has maintained that there cannot be an EU without the UK, it is hard to see how he will endorse Cameron’s requests. His hopes for more political and economic integration make the Italian position towards the EU quite far from the British one.

Italy has economic relations with Great Britain so, if Britain left EU, it’s necessary to reconsider all parameters that allowed a convenient interchange. Great Britain imports from Italy clothes, food, autos, appliances and collaborates with Italy in the field of energy, defence and space research. Italy imports from Britain medicines, whisky, technology for renewable energy. In addition, almost 600. 000 Italians live in Britain and half of these work in London. If Brexit will be approved, thousand of Italians will come back home. Those who remain will have to ask for residency permit and work permit. Britons who live in Italy (20. 000) too will have to ask for permits.

Sites suggested In Italian: § www. wallstreetitalia. com § www. affaritaliani. it § it. ibtimes. com § www. forexinfo. it § www. econopoly. ilsole 24 ore. com § www. liberoquotidiano. it (for Italy) § www. affarinternazionali. it(for Italy)