Original sentence: Both sides of the issue started advocacy organisations that exist to this day.If Norway became a member it could legally adopt the euro in line with recommendation of the European Central Bank, (in fact, it would be required to do so) as opposed to adopting it unilaterally.Membership in the European Union has been a persistently polarizing issue in Norwegian politics.Some fear state subsidies to Norwegian farming and fisheries would be made illegal, furthermore depopulating rural areas.The EU is emerging as an economical and political counterbalance to the United States and rising Asian economies on the world stage.This would, for example, make it impossible to use them as a political tool at national level.Threat to cultural identity.When the oil and gas alongside the Norwegian coast has run out, membership in the European Union might offer economic security and solidarity
Edited sentence: 'Threat' to cultural identity.Both sides of the issue started advocacy organisations that persist to this day.If Norway became a member it could legally adopt the euro in line with recommendation of the European Central Bank, as opposed to adopting it unilaterally.It should however be noted that the proposed Treaty of Lisbon which is expected to come into force early 2009, empowers the directly elected (by the people of Norway also, had it been a member) European Parliament, partly at the expense of Council, the merely appointed Commission but also the Norwegian Storting.Membership in the European Union has arguably been the lengthiest and most polarizing issue in Norwegian politics ever.Some fear stately subsidising to Norwegian farming and fisheries would be made illegal, furtermore depopulating rural areas.The new treaty also requires all meetings of the Council to be made in public.The reformed EU is emerging as an economical and political counterbalance to the United States and rising Asian economies on the world stage.This would for example make it impossible to use them as a political tool at national level.When the oil and gas alongside the Norwegian coast has run out, a membership of the European Union might offer economic security and solidarity