This is the real reason the EU wants Canada + Australia to join them.

[CaptainTrouble]

Europe realizes they don't have any resources. This is also why the USA is unlikely to allow Canada to join the EU. Europe no longer has a competitive advantage in anything worldwide and most countries have limited competitive advantages anymore. Immigration, ironically, has made the differences between countries rather limited. As the world approaches "equality", all the matters in global dominance is the amount of natural resources rather than the superiority of its people. Europe has effectively helped to make itself irrelevant through immigration. This was always the strategy though of The Tribe (TM).

All that'll matter in the future is who has access to resources. You can clearly see here why Iran matters too.

 

[Koba]

I doubt much thought went into the deal beyond the immediate cycle of political posturing