Thread by @BestForBritain

Where are UK-EU trade talks at? And should we be worried? Well, according to a major new report by Best for Britain …
bestforbritain.org/tradereportcom…

…the picture is a deeply concerning one. The report authors are experienced trade negotiators, operating at very senior levels, and they know their stuff. No shallow sloganeering here

A key challenge facing the EU-UK negotiating teams is that, unlike other Free Trade Agreements, we’re not bringing the parties closer together. In fact …

…the whole point is, of course, that the UK and EU are dismantling long-standing agreements, and the result is talks with a focus on what barriers will be added, rather than dismantled

The report looks in-depth at trade in both goods and services, areas of stalemate, and 17 key areas where the Govt has set out its commitments (or over-promised)

There is detail on many of the tariffs British trade will be hit by in the event of no-deal or a thin deal. For example …

…given the weekend news about Britain’s wheat harvest being the worst in 40 years, we should be concerned that no-deal could see a £79-per-tonne tariff on wheat imports from the EU as the UK would be reverting to WTO rules

In some areas of negotiation, there is a complete stalemate eg fisheries, regulatory alignment and ‘level playing field’ requirements. Fisheries was supposed to be sorted by July 1st but …

…that deadline is long gone, and major questions remain around issues including stock management, crewing rules and policing considerations. The basics, in other words

In short, the chances of a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement as envisaged at the 2019 election is ‘far from in prospect’. Failure to agree such a deal will mean …

…prices going up because of new tariffs/logistics costs etc. It will mean trading with the world becomes harder because of new costs and red tape. And it will mean …

… even basic items such as cereals and vegetables could see supplies squeezed as prices go up, while we are all battling Covid-19, flu, a tanked economy, disastrous harvests and whatever else 2020 has to throw at us

There’s a lot in this report and, overall, it shows that the chances of the Government delivering on promises made only last year, before time runs out, are shockingly small

There is not a person in Britain who will not be affected by this and, as things stand, the effects are likely to be negative. For more details, read the report here 🔗
bestforbritain.org/tradereport