On Cherry-Picking ... or Trying to Have One’s Cake and Eating It: past principles and practice in the pursuit of an alternative to [full] EU membership

With the United Kingdom’s continued membership of the EU being increasingly questioned and the Prime Minister, David Cameron, committed to 're-negotiate’ the terms of membership, consideration is being given to what forms alternatives to [full] membership may take. While much current discussion focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of particular existing arrangements (e.g. European Economic Area, Swiss bilateralism), this paper examines the broader principles and practices that have to date underpinned – and undermined – EU’s attempts to develop alternatives to [full] EU membership. Drawing on an analysis of the evolution of association as an alternative to membership, the paper assesses the principled, practical and political limitations the EU faces – and imposes on itself – in offering an acceptable balance of rights and obligations to states not wishing to assume the mantle of full membership. In its assessment the paper considers various proposed models of affiliate and associate membership. It also situates consideration of the UK case in the broader context of the EU’s relations with other European non-member states for which membership may not be achievable and for which alternatives to membership (e.g. a form of privileged partnership) have been proposed. In doing so, the paper reflects on the precedent-setting consequences of any arrangement that the EU might reach with any state re-negotiating membership or withdrawing.

Semiconductor photocatalysis: an environmentally acceptable alternative production technique and effluent treatment process

New environmentally acceptable production methods are required to help reduce the environmental impact of many industrial processes. One potential route is the application of photocatalysis using semiconductors. This technique has enabled new environmentally acceptable synthetic routes for organic synthesis which do not require the use of toxic metals as redox reagents. These photocatalysts also have more favourable redox potentials than many traditional reagents. Semiconductor photocatalysis can also be applied to the treatment of polluted effluent or for the destruction of undesirable by-products of reactions. In addition to the clean nature of the process the power requirements of the technique can be relatively low, with some reactions requiring only sunlight.