Following the success of “The World” in Dubai, EU officials have approached the developers, Nakheel, with a plan for a luxury offshore development called “The EU”.
Initial proposals include 25 individual “member states”, actually man-made islands, each with an eight-bedroomed villa, jetty and series of guest-houses.
Other amenities include room-service, helicopter landing pads, tennis-courts and jacuzzis.
Although the price is high – Malta and Estonia start at 28m AED and 42m AED respectively (roughly 6 and 9 million euros) – the advantages are clear; anybody purchasing a property at The EU will automatically become an EU citizen, and enjoy free movement throughout the union.
Said a joint spokesman for DG Enlargement and External Relations, “it’s not only a great way of promoting Europe abroad, but also a fantastic resource for boosting EU funds, as we can enlarge to 50 countries without the normal associated costs.”
It is understood, however, that take-up is slow. The annual charges, which include a 30 million euro contribution towards the Common Agricultural Policy “Special Fund”, are putting off prospective investors.