Thread by @pmdfoster

A quick Friday thought. This week the EU and UK food and drink industries made big plea to @MichelBarnier
for special treatment on so-called 'rules of origin' to keep supply chains running...but we know that won't fly. So what does that mean? 1/

ft.com/content/e42ceb…

@MichelBarnier First, why won't it fly? Because as Barnier keeps saying its not in EU long-term interests to allow UK to become an "assembly hub" outside EU - *even if* - short term that causes disruption /2

So while UK negotiators might be heartened to see cross-Channel support for this plea from food and drink makers for EU to show flexibility; in practice they'll have to persuade EU capitals to force EU Commission/Barnier to shift the mandate and cave on a key area. Unlikely/3

As @AnnaJerzewska notes in her brilliant thread here (do read) these proposals are *even more* ambitious than the UK draft proposals for diagonal cumulation requested by the UK in its draft FTA /4

https://twitter.com/AnnaJerzewska/status/1273942593571864577?s=20

@AnnaJerzewska The letter from the food and drink associations is here: /5

fdf.org.uk/publicgeneral/…

@AnnaJerzewska But what is really worth reading is this @Foodanddrinkfed report from 2018 which really explains WHY rules of origin are so critical to the industry. It's a brilliantly done document. The best thing read for 'willing amateurs' like me on Rules of Origin/6

fdf.org.uk/corporate_pubs…

@AnnaJerzewska @Foodanddrinkfed So the Friday thought is this?

The word is out that @BorisJohnson wants a #brexit deal (think that's right) but the real question is whether that desire for a deal is based on 'wishes' like these on Rules of Origin coming true. /7

@AnnaJerzewska @Foodanddrinkfed @BorisJohnson Because a lot of goodies in the UK draft FTA aren't going to happen. As Mr Barnier might have said, but didn't "#Brexit means Brexit, mon brave".

Fast forward to the September crunch; we're down to the brass tacks of what's doable. What then? Don't suppose anyone knows...ENDS