The UK has been pushing something between equivalence and dynamic alignment for five years with the whole EU - essentially the less onerous responsibilities of the former combined with the market access of the latter. Or cakeism as it came to be known. Still, talk is good, and...
Every time I see a minister make a false reference to the ECJ like this one you wonder if a climbdown is in the air. The UK 'wins' no ECJ oversight that there was never going to be, and the EU graciously allows the kind of alignment always on offer that will reduce checks.
Ultimately for agricultural trade the equation is the EU has detailed rules and tough checks applied to all countries, but third countries able to build up trust in their food production systems can gain equivalence agreements and other easements. So a choice for the UK...
The UK can seek to build a relationship of trust in food supply with the EU, to include equivalence or similar arrangements. Or we can insist that we should have no checks as of right, then claim the EU is threatening peace in Northern Ireland if they don't agree.
Hence also why the EU does not believe the UK government is sincere about peace - because there's a way to tackle issues without necessarily ECJ or dynamic alignment. But equally without triumphant media headlines. So trust / sobriety or claims / headlines. Our choice.
None of which should ever be mistaken for the EU being particularly flexible - they aren't. But there is a way to address international trade issues, as the US might just have reminded the UK. It isn't buccaneering. We shall see if the UK were really listening. /end

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More from @DavidHenigUK

21 Jun
A small nugget in a Times interview of Liz Truss on Saturday, in which she said "we're not going to be in the business of EU-style regulatory imperialism... telling other countries how to run their farms" is a strong message behind which lies continued UK trade confusion... 1/
First, is the EU guilty of "regulatory imperialism"? The Brussels Effect of EU regulations becoming global norms was not a deliberate process, but increasingly the EU would like to make it so, meaning yes to a degree. But more on industrial goods than agriculture. 2/
The EU's "regulatory imperialism" on agriculture is to insist strongly on geographical indications in trade deals. Which the UK has followed in fact. Now the US, there's a country that has pursued "regulatory imperialism" in insisting other allow their food products in FTAs... 3/
Read 9 tweets
21 Jun
Strikingly optimistic take on US-EU relations from @MESandbu. Certainly we can take encouragement from summit outcomes last week, but with so many areas of difference on trade, and different takes on China, maintaining progress will be difficult. ft.com/content/3d3894…
Arguably the recent history of US-EU relations is one of optimistic announcements of new structures followed by disappointment as officials fail to find common ground on the detail. Question then as to whether that is different this time.
Reasons to be optimistic over transatlantic relations this time - Biden's clear determination to forge a common front over China. Reasons to be pessimistic - US domestic interests for whom fighting the EU on regulatory detail is more important than China.
Read 4 tweets
20 Jun
I'm not sufficiently expert on the steel industry to know whether we should or shouldn't have protections in place - the big point is that thanks to the absence of a trade strategy we have no coherent basis for making such a decision. A recurring theme. theguardian.com/business/2021/…
Similar issue on agriculture - many simplist claims on protectionism v free trade from government supporters, a reality of complex decisions with multiple factors from UK food protection to animal welfare and climate change, none apparently particularly well considered.
The biggest problem UK trade policy faces is a lack of understanding of a modern economy, and what the UK should build. An interconnected highly regulated modern economy being presided over by ministers who mostly think free trade equals lower tariffs, and regulations are bad.
Read 5 tweets
18 Jun
The UK government needs to stop hiding behind nebulous concepts such as equivalence and actually engage with what is needed to support exports across all sectors to our nearest large market. theguardian.com/business/2021/…
By now it should be obvious that Free Trade Agreements with the promise of zero tariffs do not of themselves provide a sufficient framework for supporting exports particularly of food and drink. Because of regulatory and customs checks, and much more besides.
There's also a deeper conversation to be had about the UK economy, given the loss of free trade and free movement. That's not to adopt a 'we're doomed' attitude, but to point out that change is inevitable. Is anyone in government planning for this beyond gimmicry?
Read 6 tweets
17 Jun
This week the UK and Australia signed a Free Trade Agreement while the EU and US signalled further their turn away from prioritising such deals. Why? Essentially FTAs have become too much effort for too little reward. My @BorderlexEditor latest borderlex.net/2021/06/16/per…
Recalling the old Ronseal advert, does what it says on the tin, Free Trade Agreements are the opposite. They can do a lot of useful things, but they don't deliver free trade. And the distorting effects of regulated trade meanwhile grow.
More detail on the UK-Australia deal has been released and the point becomes clearer. There is a lot there. But how much more trade will actually be facilitated as opposed to diverted from poorer countries (which could be quite an issue)? gov.uk/government/pub…
Read 10 tweets
16 Jun
My twitter feed features many in the EU planning, indeed starting their travels and many in the UK lamenting their inability to do so.

We didn't use that vaccine head start did we?
Between the ridiculous statements of the lockdown sceptics, the inability to plan beyond the next headline from the government, and the puritanism of the Labour leadership, we probably never stood much of a chance.
The danger that the UK just becomes increasingly insular stares us in the face and we ignore it because we're too busy being insular over our remain v leave splits and plenty more besides.
Read 5 tweets

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