A recent study by Stanford university professor Antoni Abad was made public last February the 18th in a meeting organized by the Cercle d’Estudis Sobiranistes. The study, which can be downloaded here in pdf format in its catalan version, has demolished one of the arguments unionists recurrently used to scare catalans with: “If Catalonia becomes independent it will be kicked out of the EU and will have to ask for readmission and Spain will veto it”.

Now we know this isn’t true, when Catalonia, Scotland, the Basque Country, etc. become independent they’ll be EU members in full right. Not even the resulting Spain would have to ask for readmission. European citizenship of 7 million catalans cannot be suspended overnight and this would just be considered as and internal expansion within the EU, the new members will only have to ask for their new status to be acknowledged. Many thanks to Professor Antoni Abad for shedding light on this issue.

Note: Image sources at