Just for a change, a good news story about a UK negotiating success in Europe. The European voluntary standards organisations CEN and CENELEC have agreed that BSI can continue to be a full member and will change their statutes accordingly.
linkedin.com/posts/bsi-nati…
linkedin.com/posts/bsi-nati…
It was not at all a given that BSI could remain part of the European standards framework given existing rules and doubts about UK policy intentions. Indeed I was told here by a few usual Brexit suspects that there was no way the EU would agree (though these aren't EU bodies).
So how did the BSI achieve what the UK government apparently couldn't and get what they wanted in Europe? A clear objective agreed internally, extensive engagement, trust-building, and persistence. Starting in the days after the referendum.
It is another example of modern negotiations being more about building mutual trust than adversarial combat. Persuade the other side something is in their interests, not tell them they're wrong for saying no. A lesson the UK government should learn.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
