Comments by "Paul Aiello" (@paul1979uk2000) on "Why The EU's Future Is Surprisingly Uncertain" video.

I think Norway would be better off inside the EU, at least they would have a voice at the table in making these laws, same for Switzerland which have a more complicated relationship with the EU but considering it's location, EU membership would probably benefit them more than it does Norway. Personally, I think Norway will eventually join the EU once the usefulness of oil in the country has far less value.
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That's the case for almost all modern countries and if you look closely, most of the population growth is from immigration and those people that have more kids than natives. It's a first world problem that more people want to enjoy life and not have kids, something that will likely get worse in every developed nation unless people have more free time. But honestly, I don't think it's that big of an issue, at least not yet, people are living longer, robotics and A.I. are going to take over most of the job market in the decades to come, that's likely going to have a major shift in people's free time which could boost birth rates.
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Simple answer, probably not, long answer is more complicated, as in, what kind of an EU do we want and I think the future of the EU will be shaped by the changing realities around the world, mainly a rising China and a continuing growing US, basically, if Europeans in the EU want to protect their political, economic and social interest, we need a strong EU because the likes of the US and China will play EU countries off each other whiles also trying to weaken out workers rights, food standards and many other things to benefit themselves. In the end, I look at the EU as not something we want as such but something we need and that need is going to grow in the future that I think more integration is going to be needed, especially in military, security and energy matters. With all that said, the EU feels a bit detached from Europeans which help the Eurosceptics to push their agenda, I think the EU needs to engage with its citizens more, I think reforms are needed with veto and majority voting and I also think the European Parliament needs more powers with the EU Commission and President being merged into one and being directly elected by the people.
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@beundelboss368 That's pretty much it, European countries on their own are not going to compete with the likes of the US, China and India, so either we'll get pushed aside or we come together which is what the EU offers. If we Europeans get pushed aside, that could have negative impact in many areas from living standards, workers rights, food standards, social system and countless other things, many of which are protected by having a strong EU and something others like the US have shown to want to weaken, especially food standards and workers rights, in fact, the UK with Brexit will be an interesting case over the next decade on that. But for me, if we Europeans want to protect our political, economic and social interest, we're going to have to band together in the EU, more so than what we've already done, in other words, more integration is likely needed.
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As a Brit, I think the UK will rejoin the EU someday but I'm also realistic in knowing that there is little to no chance that you'll get 27 EU members to agree to that any time soon, in other words, we are talking decades off before the UK will be allowed to join and I think single market and custom union access for the UK is more realistic. In the case of Scotland and Northern Ireland, if they leave the UK, Northern Ireland could become part of the EU by becoming part of the Republic of Ireland, Scotland is a bit different but considering they were pulled out against their will, the EU might fast track them in.
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@rodjones117 Actually, it's more complicated than that, the EU going back all the way to the Coal and Steel Community was design with the intention of preventing EU countries from going to war with each other by sharing Coal and steel, in a sense, it would be like going to war with yourself, the same apples for any country that attacks a EU member, there is far more reason for the others to get involved because of how integrated they are, the same can't be said for NATO which not much holds the countries together beside a contract. So even thought NATO is useful, especially with the US involved, I think the EU is far more important for European security. Also, what does Ukraine have to do with it, both the EU and NATO are helping out on that, the question you should ask yourself, how much more would they help out if Ukraine was an EU or NATO member.
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