I thought I would take a look at the SPS agreement recently entered into by New Zealand & the EU. Specifically to understand why entering into such an agreement would be an INTOLERABLE INFRINGEMENT of the UK sovereignty which was the reason the UK refused a similar SPS deal? 🧵
I also wanted to check whether it would be a pragmatic step for improving trade between the UK & EU in relation to all the issues on fish, oysters (bivalve molluscs), rotting pigs, seeds, we have heard about in recent days. Here it is:
eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/…)
The agreement (SPSA) aims "to facilitate trade in live animals & animal products between the EU & NZ by establishing a mechanism for the recognition of EQUIVALENCE of sanitary measures maintained by the2 Parties consistent with the protection of public & animal health". Shocking?
It is limited "INITIALLY" (so step by step SPSA ARE possible- no need to sign up for ALL products) to the sanitary measures applied to the live animals and animal products listed in Annex I & to address veterinary issues applicable to trade in live animals and animal products.
What products does Annex 1 cover? Bingo!
The recognition of equivalence requires examination of legislation, control systems, inspection and/or hygiene requirements. If equivalence is NOT recognized, trade may take place under the conditions required by the importing Party to meet its appropriate level of protection.
HOLD ON! So if an EU requirement on our sanitary standard was deemed an unacceptable imposition on our sovereign country (e.g. molluscs required to be able to sing the Marseillaise), THE WORSE THAT CAN HAPPEN IS THAT THE WTO REGIME APPLIES (as now) BUT ONLY TO THAT PRODUCT.
Then we find our old friend (see art. 15...), the Safeguard Clause: "either Party may, on serious public or animal health grounds, take provisional measures necessary for the protection of public or animal health" & a joint management committee is set up.
Finally each party can terminate the SPSA on 6 months notice after which it expires automatically. CAN ANYONE PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME HOW ENTERING INTO SUCH AN AGREEMENT INFRINGES upon THE UK SOVEREIGNTY????????

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More from @mafevema

9 Feb
And good comments on the "perceived" left-wing bias of the BBC:
"I say “perceived”, because the new director general of the BBC is a former Conservative councillor, its new chairman has donated £400,000 to the party in recent years, and opaquely-funded right-wing think-tanks have a regular spot on BBC political debate programmes.
Read 4 tweets
8 Feb
Flexibility & pragmatism work both ways. The obdurate hostility of the UK & its refusal to soften its rigidity on the "sovereignty mantra" on a multitude of what should have been purely technical & pragmatic issues injecting dogma into them, will provoke theguardian.com/politics/2021/…
rigidity in return.The UKG's propension to negotiate technical issues in the glare of the tabloids with public letters, making them political points, rather than working quietly in committees behind the scene is entirely counterproductive. As pointed out by @MatthewOToole2 there
are obvious technical fixes like agreeing alignment on rules for food, plants & animal origin products .
Read 5 tweets
8 Feb
A great article by @NickCohen4 but also worrying. "The Tories wanted to use the fury of the Ulster Protestants Carson led as a weapon against the Liberal government."
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
Perhaps the Tories want to use the furor of Unionist as a weapon again but this time against the EU & Ireland which outsmarted them at every turn of the negotiation?Perhaps Gove really wants to destroy the GFA?
You write that the Tories then "did not care that rejecting Home Rule would lead to war in Ireland". Can we assume they, ruthless as they are, would care that rejecting the NI Protocol would lead to a hard border in the island & a renewal of hostilities?
Read 6 tweets
7 Feb
Stupid & vengeful attacks by a bitter man & a faction of old guard SNP members, damaging the cause they claim to embrace. theguardian.com/politics/2021/…
I have no doubt that Sturgeon, placed in the unviable position of a sexual scandal damaging her party & predecessor may have vacillated, hesitated & obfuscated. But ultimately she did the right thing & let justice take its course. She is the greatest asset of independence.
Without her in charge, moderates will abandon independence. Calls for an unapproved referendum are a huge mistake & Sturgeon, a canny politician with a genuine understanding of her voters, knows it. Damaging her is the greatest gift to Johnson.
Read 4 tweets
5 Jan
Still no answers to important questions on the government's vaccine policy as reported in the Guardian.
1. Does delaying the 2nd shot to 12 weeks instead of the recommended 3 weeks means that the protection will weaken, then disappear? theguardian.com/society/2021/j…
2. If a "half vaccinated" person gets the virus, will it necessarily be a weak form of the disease or is there no evidence for this?
3. Is there a risk that if the virus infects a "half vaccinated" person, it will give it an opportunity to work it's way around the way the vaccine works & mutate? This would be a disaster not just for the UK's but for humanity.
Read 4 tweets
5 Jan
Still have no answer to legitimate questions on the government vaccine policy:
1. does delaying the 2nd dose to 12 weeks instead of 3 weeks means that the vaccine 1st dose protection will weaken then disappear?Pfizer says effective for 3 weeks only. theguardian.com/society/2021/j…
There is a significant difference between the recommended 3 weeks & the 12 weeks policy.
2. What happens if a " half vaccinated" person gets the virus after the 1st shot? Is there scientific evidence that it will be a weaker form of the disease or is there no evidence for this?
3. Is there a risk that if the virus attacks a "half vaccinated" person it will use this to learn to fight the vaccine & mutate? This is by far the MOST SERIOUS question. By playing sorcerer's apprentice, the UK would do considerable harm, not just in the UK but to humanity.
Read 4 tweets

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