"For those following the debate on Catalonia’s status in the EU following
independence this is a little breathtaking, but interesting nonetheless. It
marks something of a new position as up until now the EU has been only too keen to express its political opinion by its EPP affiliated spokespeople on the consequences of independence for Catalonia. For example, Catalonia being excluded from the EU and becoming a “third country” (13th December, EU spokesperson Ahrenkilde), or that “the segregated part is not an EU member," (13th December, Commissioner Almunia), or EU Council’s leader Van Rompuy (EPP) “a new independent state would, by the fact of its independence, become a third country with respect to the Union and the treaties would, from the day of its independence, not apply anymore on its territory.” All of which has no basis in the EU Treaties, and all of which amounts to no more than hypothetical statements from supposedly neutral EU civil servants
designed to scare the Catalan people."