UK’s Cameron wants less EU closeness, while German report wants confederate association

David Cameron (Official UK photo)

UK Prime Minister David Cameron made a proposal to the European Union (EU) that he hopes it will adopt, so that UK voters will decide to vote to remain in the EU:

November 10, 2015

British Prime Minister David Cameron called Tuesday for the European Union to make a number of reforms ahead of his country’s referendum on whether to leave the 28-nation bloc.

Among the demands are protections for the one-third of EU nations that do not use the euro currency. Cameron said if the EU becomes a “single currency club” then it would not be one for Britain.

He discussed the creation of a mechanism to allow for groups of countries to jointly block EU legislation that is not in their national interest, and for the EU to make a clear and irreversible agreement that ends Britain’s obligation to “work for an ever closer union.”

“We believe in a flexible union of free member states who share treaties and institutions, working together in a spirit of cooperation to advance our shared prosperity and to protect our people from threats to our security, whether they come from home or abroad,” Cameron said.

More fair system

The prime minister said he supports the free movement of labor among EU members, but that he wants a more fair system and for governments to have more power in controlling immigration.

“As we’ve seen so spectacularly across Europe, with the questions posed by the migration crisis, countries need greater controls to manage the pressures of people coming in,” he said.

European Commission spokeswoman Margaritas Schinas said that aspect of Cameron’s demands is “highly problematic as they touch upon fundamental freedoms of our internal market.” She listed issues involving the euro as “difficult,” while calling the prospect of finding ways to better involve national parliaments as “feasible.”

Cameron, who backs Britain remaining in the EU, has promised to hold a referendum by the end of 2017. He said Tuesday if voters choose to leave the EU, then that decision will be final and Britain will not be open to any kind of renegotiation or second referendum. http://www.voanews.com/content/cameron-calls-for-eu-reforms-on-immigration-relationship-with-britain/3051335.html

November 10, 2015

David Cameron has outlined his four goals for reforming the UK’s membership of the EU, including restrictions on benefits for people coming to the UK.

He said Britain faced a “huge decision” in the in/out referendum promised before the end of 2017.

But he said he was confident of getting what he wanted from reform talks.

Anti-EU campaigners say the talks are a “gimmick” – and the European Commission said the UK’s benefits proposals could break free movement laws.

Follow all the latest developments with BBC Politics Live

Mr Cameron has formally set out his demands in a letter to the president of the European Council, saying four objectives lie at the heart of the UK’s renegotiations:

Protection of the single market for Britain and other non-euro countries

Boosting competitiveness by setting a target for the reduction of the “burden” of red tape

Exempting Britain from “ever-closer union” and bolstering national parliaments

Restricting EU migrants’ access to in-work benefits such as tax credits

Mr Cameron hit back at claims by former Tory chancellor Lord Lawson that the four goals were “disappointingly unambitious”, saying they reflected what the British people wanted and would be “good for Britain and good for the European Union”.

“It is mission possible and it is going to take a lot of hard work to get there,” said the prime minister. …

Alongside publication of the PM’s letter, Chancellor George Osborne is meeting European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels as part of the renewed diplomatic push for EU reform. …

UKIP Leader Nigel Farage said it was clear Mr Cameron “is not aiming for any substantial renegotiation”, with “no promise to regain the supremacy of Parliament, nothing on ending the free movement of people and no attempt to reduce Britain’s massive contribution to the EU budget”. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-34770875

Last Summer, David Cameron tried and failed to stop Jean-Claude Juncker from gaining the presidency of the European Commission (see EU Summit opens, UK’s Cameron expected to lose related to J. Juncker: a prelude to a Brixit? and Jean Claude Juncker elected President of the European Commission; He wants Europe center-stage and technologically advanced). He felt that the policies of Jean-Claude Juncker could be a factor to persuade voters in the UK to pull out of the European Union. Juncker’s election demonstrated that David Cameron’s intentions and efforts do not always get the results he wants for the UK in the EU. Of course, with the promise of a vote to possibly leave the EU, David Cameron may have more leverage with the EU, for a time, in the future.

While David Cameron wants Britain exempted from an “ever closer union,” that is precisely what many in Europe want. Here is something I received today translated from German into English by a reader which shows that various ones believe that Europe needs to currently focus more on an association than full union:

8 November 2015

Plea for a confederate Europe

The idea of an “ever closer Union” was developed in the post-war period in a small circle of homogenous Western European countries. It is however unsuitable for a large and open Europe. Why an Association of States would be the better solution. …

It is overlooked that the European Parliament, as a democratically legitimated representative, is unsuitable. …

Given that a wide debate on the consequences of crisis management for the political organization of Europe remains missing and approaches for such a debate are discredited as “anti-European”, it is not surprising that Europe-critical and in part nationalist forces become stronger in almost all EU countries. It is almost inevitably, when nobody sees an alternative to a federalist European Central Government of questionable democratic legitimacy, to tend to stick to the nation-State as a counterpart to the European Central Government. In between the confrontation of the supporters of the Central European State and of the nation State lies the threat of heavy damage to the European idea of freedom, law and democracy in a peaceful Europe. But the form of the Central Government is not a prerequisite for a democratic Europe united in peace and freedom.

To sustain the European idea we need a confederate Europe in the form of a State group. A Europe obligated to the principles of freedom, law, democracy, and subsidiarity and which is open to all peoples of Europe who share these principles. In its case-law to the treaties of Maastricht and Lisbon, the Federal Constitutional Court has defined the European Union as connected beyond a confederation, without federal character and referred to it as “Union of States”. …

The single market for goods and services and free trade with the rest of the world are the core of the European economic Constitution. The opening of national markets to competition at the European level must go on. A common European market must be embedded in a liberal global trading order. A ‘fortress Europe’ with trade barriers regarding other countries will bring also a loss of prosperity for the citizens of Europe. …

The Confederal Europe needs a liberal monetary Constitution that does not split Europe, in relation to the single currency, in different classes. Countries that will join the EMU not foreseeable must have a place in a European Federation. Originally, the single currency should apply to all European countries. …

The European Union assures peace and freedom in Europe. However, its structures have been developed in the split and under threat from outside Europe of the 20th Century. The idea of an “ever closer Union” was developed in the post-war period in the small circle of largely homogeneous Western European countries, with France and Germany in the Centre. For a large and open Europe, it is unfit. In order that the EU can fulfil its task in a United Europe of the twenty-first century, the structures must be adapted. The model of a European federal State does not fit to a Europe of diversity and openness. That is why Europe needs a confederal structure. A broad debate about the right model for Europe needs to begin now.

—————————————————————– The above came from the following German language article:

Plädoyer für ein konföderales Europa

Die Idee der „immer engeren Union“ wurde in der Nachkriegszeit im kleinen Kreis homogener westeuropäischer Länder entwickelt. Für ein großes und offenes Europa ist sie jedoch untauglich. Warum ein Staatenverbund die bessere Lösung wäre. Ein Gastbeitrag. http://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/wirtschaftspolitik/plaedoyer-fuer-ein-konfoederales-europa-13896058.html

(For CCOG information in the German language, go to the following link: http://ccog.eu/category/deutsch/)

Notice that the German article demonstrates that David Cameron is not the only one who thinks that Europe is not yet ready for ever closer union.

Will Europe simply end up as a loose confederation?

No.

While it may make some reforms that suggest that direction, the Bible is clear that there will be several ‘reorganizations’ in Europe, and three are alluded to in the 17th chapter of Revelation (see Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?).

After the result of two of the reorganizations, Europe will be united into a single entity under a dictatorial leader:

12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. (Revelation 17:12-13)

Various COG groups do NOT understand the above (e.g. LCG and PCG, see Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?).

That entity that Europe will become will have weak and strong parts:

41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. (Daniel 2:41-43)

Is the coming “ever closer union a good thing?

No.

The Bible, continuing what I have quoted in Revelation 17 and Daniel 2 shows that the kingdom-union formed will ultimately be destroyed by Jesus Himself:

14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful. (Revelation 17:14)

44 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. (Daniel 2:44)

Therefore, the millennial kingdom of God will come after Jesus destroys the final end time European entity.

Despite what David Cameron and others seem to want, the Bible shows that the European power will ultimately reorganize and become a ‘closer union,’ but that it will not last.

But what about the UK itself?

It flat out will not remain a major power in the final European configuration. The UK will be taken over and essentially devoured by the Beast power. And it may well leave prior to its final formation.

Nigel Farage’s United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) wants the UK to leave the European Union. David Cameron wants the UK to stay in. We will see what happens when those in the UK get to vote.

Between now and then, we will see how ‘flexible’ the EU will be regarding David Cameron’s proposal.

Irrespective of that, the Bible shows that the final European King of the North (Daniel 11:27-40) will take over the UK, USA, and their Anglo-Saxon allies (cf. Daniel 11:39; Isaiah 10:5-11).

If the UK votes to leave the EU, that could be a reason some in the EU might feel force is needed to bring its territory back in.

Some items of related interest may include:

British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
European Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming European Beast power would use and develop technology that will result in the taking over of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Is this possible? What does the Bible teach? Here is a related YouTube video: Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation.
Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations? Some claim that these passages refer to a gathering of 10 currently existing nations together, while one group teaches that this is referring to 11 nations getting together. Is that what Revelation 17:12-13 refers to? The ramifications of misunderstanding this are enormous. A related sermon is titled Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
Jesus: The Son of God and Saviour Who was Jesus? Why did He come to earth? What message did He bring? Is there evidence outside the Bible that He existed? Here is a YouTube sermon titled Jesus: Son of God and Saviour.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? You can also see a YouTube video sermons Why Teach the Kingdom of God? and The Gospel of the Kingdom.
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it? Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near? Two related sermons are available Millennial Utopia and The Millennium.
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2023 or 20xx? There is also a video titled The 6000 Year Plan: Is the end of humanity’s reign almost up? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2015, 2016, or 2017? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2015? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?