Here's How Much Europe Depends On The UK | Zero Hedge

Here's How Much Europe Depends On The UK

Via MauldinEconomics.com,

Euroskeptiscism is on the rise in Europe. Countries like Poland and Hungary have actively sought to limit the EU’s influence and ignore its rules—most recently with regard to refugee policies.

Even the most Euroskeptic governments, however, campaigned against Brexit. While European nations may want to limit the EU’s role and influence at home, both economic and security interests led them to support the UK’s membership in the EU (read our free special report on Brexit implications).

This opposition to Brexit is an example of why interests—much more than ideology—matter in geopolitics.

European powers depend on exports to the UK

European nations are heavily invested in their relationship with the UK. The UK is the fourth-largest importer in the world, and the EU needs British import demand.

EU member states’ trade ties with the UK vary, but several European economies send a significant amount of their exports to Britain.

Nearly 14% of Irish exports went to the UK in 2015. 9% of the Netherlands’ exports and 7.4% of Germany’s exports also went to this nation in 2015.

Cont......