I'm in a European state of mind

It is a sunny September afternoon in Paris. Having just moved to the cultural capital of Europe, I have decided to go and see what is one of Paris' greatest works of architecture and its historical pride and joy: the Panthéon.

"Your residence permit, Mademoiselle, s'il vous plaît?"

"Pardon? Residence permit? But I'm Norwegian – I don't have a residence permit because I don't need a residence permit within the EU! No? But I have a valid student card for both France and England?"

"Yes, but Mademoiselle, I need proof of residence." Then, in an ice-cold voice: "Norway's not in Europe. If you don't have proof of residence in Europe I'm afraid I can't let you in for free."

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As a Norwegian I am often quite interestingly reminded when travelling and living abroad, that Norway is not in Europe. Or, a bit more precisely: we are not members of the European Union. Two referendums in 1972 and 1994 have confirmed the Norwegian people's "no" so far – a conscious positioning outside the political fellowship that is the EU. Still, I find myself wondering why I feel offended when the Germans talk about their "Europa" as if it were not my Europe, as if we don't live in the same reality. Is it really a given fact that participating in Europe means participating in the EU? It seems so.

The EU outsiders, alongside all other European countries, are participating more than ever in cultural exchanges with our neighbours. Since Erasmus began in 1987, two million students left to spend a semester or more elsewhere on the European continent with Erasmus, and there are additional similar academic arrangements. In all these agreements, non-EU countries may also be full members, side by side with equal rights to those of their EU neighbours: the Erasmus agreement, for example, is shared by 31 European countries, including Turkey, Iceland and Liechtenstein, who are not in the EU. Paradoxically, certain other non-EU countries in the heart of Europe, including some countries in the Balkans, Ukraine and most notably Switzerland, are not part of the Erasmus arrangement.

Picture: luxuz / photocase.com

Europe so far seems like a box of eggs: either you are in or you are out.

Although we are all Europeans on this small continent, some are not fortunate enough to be EU Europeans. For the European Economic Area (EEA) countries, economic agreements ensure that vital access to the European markets and the movement of individuals are as unrestricted as for any EU member state. Thus, the average Norwegian will for example hardly ever notice that she is not a 'real' European. Furthermore, we participate in, and are equally ashamed of, the musical quality of the Eurovision Song Contest every year alongside our EU neighbours – a competition in which Europeans generously let Israelis and Azerbaijanis participate alongside us.

However, when the question of European participation becomes political, our standards are sharpened and the competition is fiercer. This is illustrated by the debate over the eligibility of Turkey for the EU, a debate also concerning the limits of our cultural fellowship and of tolerance at a political level.

A 'real' European?

Among a group of Turkish students in Paris – here on Erasmus of course – is Can Eren. Sitting together in a typical French student restaurant, a girl from Oslo and an Istanbulian are acting as cosmopolitan as can be. Can is well educated, well spoken and well dressed. He is young, interested and perhaps more well informed about European life, EU policies and economy than any French person you might meet. How come?

"Of course I'm up to date with the EU debates, I'm a Turk! Like most 'Stambouliotes' I feel more European than Turkish." In fact, Turkey was one of the first countries to participate actively in European projects since the end of the Second World War. It was a founding member of NATO, one of the first countries to enter the Council of Europe and has been an associate of the EU since 1963. Turkey's present EU application was submitted in 1987, but still it seems like a political impossibility to accept Turkey into Europe and into the EU.

Thus, however much Can and his fellow 'Stambouliotes' would like to join the Union, they are not allowed. So far, the Turks have watched Eastern Europe entering the Union, and they are currently watching Iceland being fast-tracked into membership. But according to Can this is easily explained: "The Turkish population has now passed over 70 million whereas the part of the population which follows the Ataturk ideology, or those who are well educated and prefer democratic and European structures, is not more than 20 million. In addition, these 20 million live mostly in the west of Turkey. Thus you have a division both in geography and politics: if Turkey was to join the union, 50 million non-Europeans culturally and geographically speaking would also become members. I agree with European politicians; the borders of Europe need to be set somewhere."