EU asks what the UK wants
ANSWER – To Leave the EU
WE HAVE A PLAN
OPINION
My view is that Theresa May needs to understand that the Withdrawal Agreement is not acceptable and we as a nation should tell the EU that we are not going to be trapped by an EU written document which is binding under European Union Law. It should NEVER have been signed in December 2018 without a detailed scrutiny by the HoC.
Instead the UK government should be clear that we will exit the EU on 29 March 2019 on WTO terms but we will be prepared to enter a declaration that we will for a period of 12 months continue to align all UK legislation with the EU and also align trading standards for goods and (some) services. This could be covered by initiating the GATT Article 24 but with a pre determined end deadline.
During this 12 month period we will negotiate a Free Trade Agreement between the UK / EU – based on a non tariff, mutual recognition process. This would cover the movement of goods and services between NI and Ireland and arrangements for the movement of workers.
The draft FTA set out below could form the basis of that negotiation
That will test the resolve of the EU to honour what they have been saying and disprove that the Withdrawal Agreement is indeed not a trap to keep the UK tied up under Union Law. (It is for that reason that the Malthouse Compromise must be clear and NOT imply a 10 year transition period with the EU as against a period under GATT Article 24.
The UK should Leave the EU on 29/03/2019 and become a truly sovereign state. A Third country to the EU and vice versa.
Able to negotiate our own FTA’s with Third Country states (including the EU member states facilitated by the Commission)
The argument that we should not Leave the EU without a deal will be countered by offering the draft FTA
EXITING the EU and honouring the Referendum is a major item of democratic legitimacy which must be upheld.
Leaving on the 29/03/2019 will honour that decision
We must be aware that EU member states need a future relationship with the UK
EU says it will not renegotiate the Withdrawal Agreement – Calling bluff time
The reaction from the EU President Tusk of the Council and President Junker of the Commission continues the line that the EU Withdrawal Agreement is not open for renegotiation.
Remember this document was composed by the EU Commission under Union Law.
Remember too the House of Commons rejected this Withdrawal Agreement by a majority of 230. The HoC then adopted an amendment which called for the so called “backstop” in respect of maintaining an open border to be replaced by “Alternative Arrangements”
We don’t hear on our TV’ much about any draft FTA nor the Malthouse Compromise but they are an attempt to offer Alternative Arrangements and the UK electorate should have access and understand what is being considered
Sadly Theresa May seems to think she can get some slight amendments to the backstop and everything will fall into place. If that happens and the decision of the 17.4m who voted to Leave, no Customs Union, no single market, no ECJ and control of our immigration, laws, taxes and money then the democratic legitimacy of our Parliament will be in tatters
What do MP’s think they are doing
The backstop issue is but one subject on which the Withdrawal Agreement needs to be replaced and therefore the Withdrawal Agreement should be abandoned and a totally new text should be proposed by the UK government that does not potentially tie us into a bad scheme in perpetuity
8 Major failings in the Withdrawal Agreement
What is wrong with the Withdrawal Agreement compiled by Get Britain Out is worth a read
The Malthouse Compromise
The Malthouse Compromise should be considered but not in any way tying the UK into a formal relationship with the EU for a further 10 years. Imposing a 10 year period could prevent the break that is needed. Instead using GATT Article 24
The Options of the Malthouse Compromise are set out in an article below but can be viewed at this link
https://brexitcentral.com/malthouse-compromise-explained/
Information about the GATT Article 24
It is argued that Exiting the EU on WTO terms and initiating GATT Article 24 would allow zero tariff rates during the interim period of negotiating a FTA. The question is whether the EU would agree to that. My view is that the EU need a deal.
This link to a HoC Briefing might provide information about the GATT Article 24 process
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/brexit/no-deal-brexit-and-wto-article-24-explained/
A Draft Free Trade Agreement
We have the publication of draft Free Trade Agreement which is our ultimate objective as a relationship between the UK and the EU. This is being promoted by some senior political figures
That can be read at the following link and depending on your reading concentration gives you various options
https://competere.co.uk/uk-eu-fta
Government Needs to Honour the Referendum – Be Positive and Robust
The UK government needs to be more positive in its BREXIT negotiations and stop trying to play one group off against another. They need to understand we have a long standing process of democracy with freedom of speech AND once a vote is taken we have to abide by that decision- no messing about – no undermining that process
THE TOPIC 