Is there desire for us here to broadly explain and interpret the "Brexit" deal? Even in general terms it would be of some length.
We’ll now try to sum up main points of the “Brexit” agreement. Keep in mind, please, that space is limited and the agreement is new.
First, it is a deal, that is the opposite of no deal, which would have had instant, catastrophic consequences. The wound is serious. Now we need to see how stitches work. Healing, such as it is, will be slow, and the patient will be permanently changed, if not totally weakened.
There has been a decent compromise on the “level playing field.” Britain can claim sovereignty, and Europe has reasonably protected the single market. At the moment, Britain has access to the European market without tariffs.
Britain has agreed to set up a non-governmental body to administer state aid to business. Its decisions are reviewable by British courts. If either side judges the field out of whack, it can impose tariffs.
This feature, reviewable after four years, broke the deadlock in talks but could easily disintegrate into trade war. EU environmental, labor, and human rights regulations remain in place.
The European Court of Justice is mostly but not entirely removed from the relationship. They will hear matters regarding Northern Ireland. Even so, it’s far from the British opening position, which was no tethers to Europe at all.
British rights are significantly reduced. There is no right to live and work in Europe. British are allowed into Europe for 90 of 180 days. Short-term work travel is allowed. Sponsored British can live and work in Europe for up to a year, but without their families.
There is no automatic recognition of professional qualifications or conformity assessment, no shared financial regulation, etc. There is an attempt under way to let banks trade as if still in Europe, which makes one wonder what the hell’s the point?
Fishermen are furious. Their European counterparts can work six miles from the British coast, and the loss of “quota swapping” – trading unwanted catch with European counterparts – threatens to destroy much of the British industry.
On the whole it is a temporary treaty of severance, rather than a new dawn, because there is now high-friction trade between Britain (home rules) and Northern Ireland (EU rules). That can’t last forever.
Britain retains an interest in the single market through Northern Ireland, but will find it holds no influence in Brussels over single market legislation.
Scotland will leave the Union at the earliest chance.
The agreement is a basis for further negotiations and uncertainty long into the future.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
