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2002-12-15
I'm sure by now many of you have heard the announcement of
the summit meeting in Copenhagen officially inviting 10 nations to join the
EU. The enlargement of the EU will not only have an effect in Europe but
world-wide. I strongly feel that US metrication hinges on the strength of
the EU. Only a strong EU will have the power to force the US to metricate
and to get the rest of the world to back them.
An AP article appearing in this Saturday's Plain Dealer
really spelled it out. The present EU economy represents 15 nations, a
population of 370 million people, and a GDP of 9.25 T€. The NAFTA economy
consists of 3 nations (2 of them already metric), a population of 416 million,
and a GDP of 11.7 T€.
The expanded EU will increase the EU to 25 countries, with
a population of 445 million. The GDP of the expanded EU is not mentioned,
but of course it will be greater than NAFTA. Also, what is not mentioned
is the expansion to take place again in 2007 which will include Romania and
Bulgaria. Another important step will be the admission of Turkey, with a
population of 65 million people. The EU economy and population, by
2010, will easily surpass that of NAFTA.
The expansion of the EU will be an established fact in
2010 when the EU directive 80/181 becomes an issue again. If Romania,
Bulgaria, and Turkey are full fledged members at that time, the strength
potential of the EU will be so great at that time that US will not be able to
expect another delay or abolition of the directive.
The admission of Turkey to the EU will have
a profound effect on the balance of power in the world. It will
literally extend EU economic influence to the heart of the Muslim world.
The EU, through Turkey, will be able to influence other Muslim countries into
following the EU economic model, including the use of the Euro instead of the
dollar. And that means the strict use of SI too.
If the world stops accommodating the American use of
FFU, the US will either have to metricate or be totally
isolated.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/not_in_website/syndication/monitoring/media_reports/2575643.stm
Even the Euro is getting stronger:
John
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