Why did Greenland withdraw from the EU in 1985?

--simone--

"Greenland is the only territory to have chosen to leave the EU or its predecessors without also seceding from a member state. It initially voted against joining the EEC when Denmark joined in 1973, but because Denmark as a whole voted to join, Greenland, as a part of Denmark, joined too. When home rule for Greenland began in 1979, it held a new referendum and voted to leave the EEC. After wrangling over fishing rights the territory left the EEC in 1985[3], but remains subject to the EU treaties through the EU Association of Overseas Countries and Territories. This was permitted by the Greenland Treaty, a special treaty signed in 1984 to allow its withdrawal [4]. By precedent, then, if a country wanted to withdraw from the EU it probably could, but special treaties and conditions would needed to be agreed on. This is because of pre-existing commitments that any member state would have towards the EU and its fellow members." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_withdrawal Mar 17 08, 6:49 PM