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What Mr Johnson and the Chancellor don't understand is the complex interplay between nation states, the EU, EEA and international bodies. (THREAD) PT1
2/ International rules on financial services, aviation, chemicals, agriculture etc do not emerge from a vacuum. Ex nihilo, nihil fit.
3/ some standards come from global bodies like the Codex Alimentarius Commission (food standards) or World Trade Organisation (trade rules) or ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization (aviation). In terms of Financial standards we have the below: 
4/ whereas some standards begin their life as *nationally* recognised Standards And Recommended Practices (SARPs) which spread beyond their home nation to international bodies who may adopt them (or a modified form of them).
5/ in the run up to the EU referendum, there were a lot of stories about EU red tape and crazy rules that they were planning to impose upon the UK. In almost every case, the new 🇪🇺EU rule was simply transposing a rule from a global🌐 body like ISO.
6/ when the EU has adopted global standards into European law, it passes that law down to national governments in the form of Directives and Regulations
7/ so we have identified the following different 'levels' here - national level, global level, EU level, national level (again). In the case of Europe we also have EEA (European Economic Area level).
8/ So what are the major differences in EU state Vs Efta/eea state in the system we have outlined? Simply put, EU member states have greater influence at precisely one level - EU LEVEL (they have votes, MEPs). But they lose influence at global level. (More later.) Cont...
9/ whereas if the UK moved to efta/EEA we would lose influence at the EU level but gain influence at all the other levels. A specific example of this is at the WTO (world trade organisation) wto.org/english/thewto…
10/ don't believe us? see these excerpts from the EU's own treaties where member states commit to gradually cede responsibility for foreign policy and actions on international bodies to Brussels:
11/ the beauty of the efta/EEA approach is that not only will we have the opportunity to shape international standards before they get to Brussels but also we will have influence and input (but no formal vote) at the European level when they are converted into european rules.
12/ our fellow campaigner Mr Yalland has written a great thread about the Efta/EEA states and their right to be consulted at European level:
13/ the standard response to this is "well, I worked in Brussels, and the real centre of power is there". No doubt people who work at the UN headquarters in New York makes similar claims, and no doubt do those who work in Geneva or Whitehall feel likewise.
14/ for an academic insight into how the EU🇪🇺 affects global standards we recommend Professor Anu Bradford of Columbia Law and her study of the 'Brussels effect'
15/ conversely if you are interested in how international bodies affect EU rules we recommend ‘The Legal Status and Influence of Decisions of International Organizations and other Bodies in the European Union' by Professors Wessel and Blockmans efta4uk.eu/wp-content/upl…
16/ so in short, these issues are complex and MPs, MEPs, Brussels officials and diplomats are looking at only their part of the conveyor belt. Outside of the EU but in efta/EEA we would lose influence at some tables but gain a voice at others. /End
