web analytics
Politickengaging in political discussion or activity

Category Archives

4 Articles

The UK and the WTO – Article by Dr Liam Fox

by Politicker 0 Comments

“When we speak for ourselves, we flourish – and our status in the WTO is no exception” is an article for the Telegraph newspaper written by Dr Liam Fox, which was also published on the Government’s website on the 2nd November 2018.

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/when-we-speak-for-ourselves-we-flourish-and-our-status-in-the-wto-is-no-exception

The article attempts to clarify misconceptions on WTO negotiations and goods schedules.

All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0

As part of our work to set up the UK’s own trade policy for the first time in over 40 years, we are currently establishing our independent goods “schedule” at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The UK is a full and founding member of the WTO and our status is no different from that of, say, Canada or Japan. But under the EU treaties, EU member states have agreed to speak with one voice on trade. In the WTO that means the Commission represents the member states. It also means the UK’s rights and obligations are bound up with those of the other EU member states in common “schedules”. One for goods and one for services, these are the official WTO documents that describe the tariffs, quotas, subsidies, and regulatory commitments that underpin our position in the multilateral trading system.

Before we leave the EU, the UK needs to separate its schedules from the EU’s. As part of this process, WTO members have a chance to respond. A small number expressed reservations and would like to discuss further. Last week, I announced that the UK intends to open negotiations at the WTO to address these concerns. This has been purposefully misunderstood by those wishing to stop Brexit as evidence that our WTO strategy isn’t working.

They are wrong. It’s not unprecedented for a WTO member to trade on schedules that have not been approved by every other WTO member. In fact, the EU hasn’t had an up to date certified goods schedule since 2004, and certainly doesn’t have an updated services one.

The government’s policy since October 2016 has been to establish the UK’s independent position in the WTO by March 2019 so that we are prepared for a range of possible Brexit outcomes. That remains our policy, and last week’s announcement is evidence that it is on track, not that it has failed.

Under WTO procedures, if changes to a country’s schedule are of a purely technical and formal nature, members can use a process called “rectification” to make those changes. That is why we decided to replicate, as far as possible, the UK’s existing rights and obligations. We have replicated thousands of tariffs lines in our EU schedules into our UK-only schedules.

We always knew agricultural quotas and subsidies would be different. You cannot copy and paste a quota or subsidy for the EU into the UK schedule: it would represent a major change to our agricultural trade on the one hand, and a major increase in the UK’s rights to subsidise agriculture on the other. The UK and the EU came up with a methodology last year for dividing the EU’s existing agricultural quotas and subsidies, based on existing trade flows with third countries. We knew there would be objections, because the countries that rely most on these quotas – the US, New Zealand, the major Latin American exporters – have been telling us, and the EU, from the outset.

We nevertheless used this methodology in our goods schedule and submitted it to the WTO membership, for 2 main reasons. First, we believe this represents a fair reproduction of the rights under the EU’s existing schedule. And second, our priority was to first establish the UK’s separate schedule in the WTO and only then to use other WTO processes that exist to address any objections to specific elements of it.

The objections we have received were therefore neither unexpected, nor a failure of our strategy. We have always been open to having more detailed discussions with partners once we had established our own schedule. That is why I have announced our intention to launch negotiations on these objections.

This process is unlikely to be fully complete by the time we leave the EU. But objecting WTO members cannot veto the UK trading on our uncertified goods, or services, schedules after next March. In the unlikely event of a “no deal” between the UK and EU, we will be able to take full control of our trade policy in March 2019 based on the schedule we have set out.

As the Director General of the WTO has said, the consequences of no deal would not be a walk in the park but nor would it be the end of the world. There will be difficult moments, but the UK will be ready to take back full control in the WTO from next March.

Dominic Raab’s update on EU Exit negotiations

by Politicker 0 Comments

Dominic Raab’s statement in the House regarding the UK government position on Brexit negotiations, on 9 October 2018.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/secretary-of-state-dominic-raabs-statement-update-on-eu-exit-negotiations

With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to update the House on the progress in negotiations to leave the EU, and the government’s planning for No Deal.

Negotiations

Since I last updated the House, our negotiations with the EU have continued and intensified. Over the recess break, we have been engaging constructively with our EU counterparts.

Let me take the main areas of the negotiations in turn.

On the Withdrawal Agreement, while there remain some differences, we are closing in on workable solutions to all the key outstanding issues, building on the progress we made during the summer on issues such as data and information, the treatment of ongoing police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters, and ongoing Union judicial and administrative procedures after the date of exit.

We have also been discussing proposals on the linkage needed between the Withdrawal Agreement and the Future Relationship, and the EU is engaging constructively.

On the Northern Ireland Protocol, we remain committed to the undertakings we made in the Joint Report back in December, to agree a backstop in case there is a delay between the end of the Implementation Period and the entry into force of the treaty on our future relationship.

That was agreed to avoid any risk of a return to a hard border in the intervening period. But we will not accept anything that threatens the constitutional or economic integrity of the United Kingdom. Creating any form of customs border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, which is what the EU had proposed, would put that at risk and that it is unacceptable.

As my Rt Hon friend the Prime Minister has said, it is not something she, nor any British Prime Minister, could conceivably agree to. We are engaging with the EU on our alternative proposals that preserve the integrity of the UK. They will be in line with the commitments we made back in December, including the commitment that no new regulatory barriers should be created between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK unless the Northern Ireland Executive and the Assembly agree.

On the Future Relationship, we continue to make progress, for example, on both the internal and the external security arrangements for future cooperation, although there is still some way to go.

And as the House will know, the Prime Minister presented our proposals on the economic partnership to EU leaders, at the informal Salzburg Summit. We understand that the EU has raised some concerns, particularly around the distinction between goods and services under the common rule book and with respect to the Facilitated Customs Arrangement. We continue to engage constructively with the EU, we continue to press our case.

The UK’s White Paper proposals are the best way of ensuring there is continued frictionless trade in goods after Britain leaves the EU, whilst fulfilling the joint commitment to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, and respecting the referendum.

These negotiations, Mr Speaker, were always bound to be tough in the final stretch. That is all the more reason why we should hold our nerve, stay resolute and focused, and I remain confident that we will reach a deal this autumn. Because it is still in the best interests of the UK, and the European Union.

It is the best way of protecting trade between Britain and the EU, trade which underpins millions of jobs across Europe.

It is the best way of making sure we continue to cooperate seamlessly on security matters, to tackle crime and terrorism to keep UK and EU citizens safe.

And it is the best way to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland that would adversely affect communities living there, or indeed separating Northern Ireland from Great Britain which we will not countenance.

To achieve these aims, the UK has brought forward serious and credible proposals. We continue to engage with the EU to press our case, and to better understand the nature of some of their concerns. Equally, it is time for the EU to match the ambition and pragmatism that we have shown.

No Deal

Mr Speaker, while we intensify negotiations to secure the deal we want,the deal that we expect, we are also expediting preparations for no deal. In case the EU do not match the ambition and pragmatism we have demonstrated.

As the Prime Minister stated on 21 September after the Salzburg Summit.

The government has made clear we will unilaterally protect the rights of EU citizens in the UK in the event of No Deal. To the 3 million here, we say: you are our friends, our neighbours, our colleagues, we want you to stay. And we will be setting out all of the details as soon as is practical.

We also now urge the EU and all its member states to step up and give UK citizens on the continent the same reassurances. Mr Speaker it is time, on both sides, to provide all our citizens with that comfort and with that confidence.

Since I last updated the House in September, we have published 52 more technical notices, in two further batches.

They inform people, businesses and other key stakeholders of the steps they need to take, if we don’t reach a deal with the EU.

They cover a wide range of sectors, building on other work that has taken place across government over the last two years. They enable us to prepare the UK for Brexit irrespective of the outcome of the negotiations. They acknowledge that there are risks to a no deal scenario. But they also demonstrate the steps we will take to avoid, mitigate and manage any potential short-term risks and disruption.

Overall now we have published 77 technical notices which form part of the sensible, proportionate, measures that we are taking to prepare the country for every eventuality.

Mr Speaker our most recent batch of technical notices were published on the 24th of September they are set out in a written Ministerial statement today. There are 24 and they range from aviation, and the advice for airlines on the impact of ‘no deal’ and the actions for them to consider to maintain services on the day we leave the EU, through to car insurance, and the arrangements to ensure Green Cards will be available free of charge from insurance companies to enable UK drivers to continue to drive on the continent.

The publication of the technical notices enables further engagement as part of our No Deal planning.

So for example, our earlier technical notice on VAT set out the VAT changes that companies will need to prepare for when importing or exporting goods from the EU, when supplying services to the EU, or interacting with EU VAT IT systems. That one was welcomed by the British Chamber of Commerce, and we are grateful to them and to all of our stakeholders for their constructive ongoing engagement on that necessary planning.

More broadly, I met with the British Chamber of Commerce, the CBI, the IoD, EEF and the Federation of Small Businesses as part of the government’s Business Advisory Group on the 17th of September, to make sure we are explaining our negotiating proposals and No Deal planning, and listening to UK businesses of all sizes, and across all sectors.

We will keep providing people and businesses with the advice they need as we negotiate our exit from the European Union.

We also keep working with the devolved administrations on all aspects of our planning for exit. I attended the joint ministerial committee on the 13th September. It has now met 12 times, and our last meeting was a valuable opportunity to give the devolved administrations a full update on the negotiations, as well as discuss the necessary No Deal planning. We continue to listen very carefully to all of their views.

Mr Speaker, that is the way, with concerted effort on all fronts, that we have put ourselves in the best possible position to make the best of Brexit.

And I commend this statement to the House.

How to prepare if the UK leaves the EU with no deal

by Politicker 0 Comments

Guidance on how to prepare for Brexit if there’s no deal.

The UK Government has published a series of technical notices. These notices are designed to inform people, businesses and stakeholders about steps they may need to take in the event of a ‘no deal’ scenario.

Last updated 13 October 2018

Details at

How to prepare if the UK leaves the EU with no deal

Notices have been published on the following areas:

Overview

  • UK government’s preparations for a no deal scenario

Applying for EU-funded programmes

  • Connecting Europe Facility energy funding if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Delivering humanitarian aid programmes if there’s no Brexit deal
  • European Regional Development Funding if there’s no Brexit deal
  • European Social Fund (ESF) grants if there’s no Brexit deal
  • European Territorial Cooperation funding if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Funding for UK LIFE projects if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Horizon 2020 funding if there’s no Brexit deal
  • The government’s guarantee for EU-funded programmes if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Funding for British Overseas Territories if there’s no Brexit deal

Driving and transport

  • Aviation safety if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Aviation security if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Driving in the EU if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Flights to and from the UK if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Operating bus or coach services abroad if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Vehicle insurance if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Rail transport if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Meeting rail safety and standards if there’s no Brexit deal

Farming

  • Farm payments if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Manufacturing and marketing fertilisers if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Receiving rural development funding if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Regulating pesticides if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Commercial fishing if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Plant variety rights and marketing of seed and propagating material if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Breeding animals if there’s no Brexit deal

Handling civil legal cases

  • Handling civil legal cases that involve EU countries if there’s no Brexit deal

Importing and exporting

  • Buying and selling timber if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Classifying your goods in the UK Trade Tariff if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Commercial road haulage in the EU if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Exporting animals and animal products if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Exporting controlled goods if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Importing and exporting plants if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Importing animals and animal products if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Trade remedies if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Trading with the EU if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Exporting GM food and animal feed products if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Exporting objects of cultural interest if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Trading and moving endangered species protected by CITES if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Maintaining the continuity of waste shipments if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Existing free trade agreements if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Importing high-risk food and animal feed if there’s no Brexit deal

Labelling products and making them safe

  • Appointing nominated persons to your business if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Developing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Labelling tobacco products and e-cigarettes if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Producing and labelling food if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Producing and processing organic food if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Protecting geographical food and drink names if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Regulating chemicals (REACH) if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Trading goods regulated under the ‘New Approach’ if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Trading under the mutual recognition principle if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Travelling with a European Firearms Pass if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Vehicle type approval if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Control on mercury if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Control on persistent organic pollutants if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Regulating biocidal products if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Classifying, labelling and packaging chemicals if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Health marks on meat, fish and dairy products if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Export and import of hazardous chemicals if there’s no Brexit deal

Meeting business regulations

  • Accessing public sector contracts if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Broadcasting and video on demand if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Copyright if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Exhaustion of intellectual property rights if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Merger review and anti-competitive activity if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Patents if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Trade marks and designs if there’s no Brexit deal
  • What telecoms businesses should do if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Accounting and audit if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Providing services including those of a qualified professional if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Structuring your business if there’s no Brexit deal

Money and tax

  • Banking, insurance and other financial services if there’s no Brexit deal
  • VAT for businesses if there’s no Brexit deal

Personal data and consumer rights

  • Data protection if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Geo-blocking of online content if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Consumer rights if there’s no Brexit deal

Protecting the environment

  • Industrial emissions standards (‘best available techniques’) if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Reporting CO2 emissions for new cars and vans if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Upholding environmental standards if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Using and trading in fluorinated gases and ozone depleting substances if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Meeting climate change requirements if there’s no Brexit deal

Regulating energy

  • Civil nuclear regulation if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Generating low-carbon electricity if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Nuclear research if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Running an oil or gas business if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Trading gas with the EU if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Trading electricity if there’s no Brexit deal

Regulating medicines and medical equipment

  • Batch testing medicines if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Ensuring blood and blood products are safe if there’s no Brexit deal
  • How medicines, medical devices and clinical trials would be regulated if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Quality and safety of organs, tissues and cells if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Submitting regulatory information on medical products if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Trading in drug precursors if there’s no Brexit deal

Regulating veterinary medicines

  • Accessing animal medicine IT systems if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Registration of veterinary medicines if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Regulation of veterinary medicines if there’s no Brexit deal

Sanctions

  • Sanctions policy if there’s no Brexit deal

Satellites and space

  • Satellites and space programmes if there’s no Brexit deal

Seafaring

  • Getting an exemption from maritime security notifications if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Recognition of seafarer certificates of competency if there’s no Brexit deal

State aid

    State aid if there’s no Brexit deal

Studying in the UK or the EU

  • Erasmus+ in the UK if there’s no Brexit deal

Travelling between the UK and the EU

  • Mobile roaming if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Taking your pet abroad if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Travelling in the Common Travel Area if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Travelling to the EU with a UK passport if there’s no Brexit deal
  • Taking horses abroad if there’s no Brexit deal

Workplace rights

  • Workplace rights if there’s no Brexit deal

EU preparations for Brexit – Press Release 19 July 2018

by Politicker 0 Comments

Brexit: European Commission publishes Communication on preparing for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, 19 July 2018.

Press Release

Brussels, 19 July 2018

The European Commission has today adopted a Communication outlining the ongoing work on the preparation for all outcomes of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.

On 30 March 2019, the United Kingdom will leave the EU and become a third country. This will have repercussions for citizens, businesses and administrations in both the United Kingdom and the EU. These repercussions range from new controls at the EU’s outer border with the UK, to the validity of UK-issued licences, certificates and authorisations and to different rules for data transfers.

Today’s text calls on Member States and private parties to step up preparations and follows a request by the European Council (Article 50) last month to intensify preparedness at all levels and for all outcomes.

While the EU is working day and night for a deal ensuring an orderly withdrawal, the UK’s withdrawal will undoubtedly cause disruption – for example in business supply chains – whether or not there is a deal. As there is still no certainty that there will be a ratified withdrawal agreement in place on that date, or what it will entail, preparations have been ongoing to try to ensure that the EU institutions, Member States and private parties are prepared for the UK’s withdrawal. And in any event, even if an agreement is reached, the UK will no longer be a Member State after withdrawal and will no longer enjoy the same benefits as a member. Therefore, preparing for the UK becoming a third country is of paramount importance, even in the case of a deal between the EU and the UK.

Having said that, preparing for the UK’s withdrawal is not only the responsibility of the EU institutions. It is a joint effort at EU, national and regional levels, and also includes in particular economic operators and other private parties – everyone must now step up preparations for all scenarios and take responsibility for their specific situation.

css.php