EU firing negotiating shots over trade access? Of course they are.
Published Jul 06, 2017
Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, resorted to a shroud
waving performance while speaking of post Brexit UK-EU trade to the European
Economic and Social Committee, one of Brussels anonymous talking shops today,
threatening the UK with dire consequences. Gerard Batten MEP, the UKIP Brexit
spokesman said "Mr Barnier is resorting to threats against against Britain in
order to weaken the Government's resolve to leave the EU".
"It is quite a simple matter for the EU to continue with a simple tariff
free agreement to continue to trade with the UK post Brexit.
"The EU already has free trade agreements with 58 countries that are not
members of the customs union. Such agreements may or may not have tariffs but
nothing would be simpler than to continue the existing
arrangements.
"If Mr Barnier insisted that we adopt simple WTO terms the tariffs would
affect German car manufacturers, French wine producers far more than UK industry
or agriculture.
"Tariffs under WTO rules are either 0% or low on most products, and Mr
Barnier should know that they cannot be discriminatory. Concerning customs
arrangements the UK and the EU are already signatories to international
agreements in order to simplify customs checks across
borders.
"China, Japan and the USA to name just three, export enormous quantities
of goods to the EU without even even having formal trade agreements and the UK
would be able to do exactly the same when we leave.
"This is an early negotiation position from the EU, so of course they are
trying to sound harsh, what else would expect from
them?"
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