The Select Committee for Exiting the EU have issued their 4th report (HERE) setting out fifteen tests they believe the final deal should pass. It was not unanimously agreed, as usual, and yesterday morning the chairman, Hilary Benn, was on Radio 4 along with Sir Christopher Chope who was in the committee's minority. In answer to a question about the UK after Brexit having to comply with EU rules whatever happens, he says only a small number of companies export to the EU and the others shouldn't have to follow all EU rules.
These non EU exporting companies, he said, would be able to export around the world as if being in the EU somehow prevented it. This is an amazing assertion. He seriously seems to think that companies who either don't want to or can't export to the EU, our nearest, easiest and largest export market, but will somehow begin exporting to other countries much further away, with totally different standards and cultures. Nobody queried this.
Moreover, the idea that only companies who export to the EU need to comply with their standards is ludicrous anyway.
Exporters to the EU themselves have suppliers and theses suppliers have other suppliers. So, the requirement to meet EU standards will go much deeper and wider than Chope thinks. And it is difficult to see how the EU will enter into any trade deal unless we comply with their environmental and labour standards which cover more or less everything.
The fifteen tests by the way are these:
- The border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland must remain open, with no physical infrastructure or any related checks and controls, as agreed in the Phase 1 Withdrawal Agreement;
- In the fight against crime and terrorism, arrangements must replicate what currently exists in operational and practical cross-border co-operation. In particular, the UK must retain involvement with Europol and the European Arrest Warrant and continue to participate in the EU’s information-sharing systems including SIS II;
- Institutional and decision-making frameworks must be identified to ensure that the UK is able fully to participate in foreign and security co-operation with the EU, to meet the challenges it shares with its neighbours in the EU-27;
- In respect of trade in goods, there must be no tariffs on trade between the UK and the EU 27;
- Trade in goods must continue to be conducted with no additional border or rules of origin checks that would delay the delivery of perishable or time-sensitive deliveries or impede the operation of cross-border supply chains;
- There must be no additional costs to businesses that trade in goods or services;
- UK providers of financial and broadcasting services must be able to continue to sell their products into EU markets as at present;
- UK providers of financial and other services should be able to retain automatically, or with minimal additional administration, their rights of establishment in the EU, and vice versa, where possible on the basis of mutual recognition of regulatory standards;
- There must be no impediments to the free flow of data between the UK and the EU;
- Any new immigration arrangements set up between the UK and the EU must not act as an impediment to the movement of workers providing services across borders or to the recognition of their qualifications and their right to practise;
- The UK must seek to maintain convergence with EU regulations in all relevant areas in order to maximise access to European markets;
- The UK must continue to participate in the European Medicines Agency, the European Aviation Safety Agency, the European Chemicals Agency and in other agencies where there is a benefit to continuing co-operation;
- The UK must continue to participate in the Horizon 2020 programme, the Erasmus+ scheme, the Galileo project and in other space and research programmes in order to support the work of our world-class academic institutions and the importance of cultural and educational exchange between the UK and the EU 27;
- The UK must continue to participate in all relevant air safety agreements and the Open Skies Agreement to ensure no disruption to the existing level of direct flights.
- The UK Government must ensure maximum access to European markets while agreeing reciprocal access to waters and a fairer allocation of fishing opportunities for the UK fishing industry.
That shouldn't be too difficult!!!
