4 ms·

it is not asking for the "benefits of membership", the UK Government is asking for a free trade agreement along the lines of that agreed with Canada

hn_throwaway_99 9y ago
They had a great free trade agreement - when they were in the European Union.
- Chris2048 9y ago
  Did they? Where was the subsidy for shipping across the channel?
- blibble 9y ago
  that is not in question, but full membership is now politically unacceptable to the UK electorate the UK Government wants to keep barriers to trade as low as possible, it is seeking a free trade agreement the EU is currently ratifying the Canadian FTA, and last week announced agreement with Japan had been reached that would reduce barriers by 99%[1]... whilst simultaneously threatening the UK with increased barriers to trade [1]: https://www.ft.com/content/c874d02a-60ba-11e7-91a7-502f7ee26895 https://www.ft.com/content/c874d02a-60ba-11e7-91a7-502f7ee26...
  - Oletros 9y ago
    > that is not in question, but full membership is now politically unacceptable to the UK electorate > the UK Government wants to keep barriers to trade as low as possible, it is seeking a free trade agreement UK electorate cannot have both
    - blibble 9y ago
      so what's this? http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/in-focus/ceta/ceta-explained/ http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/in-focus/ceta/ceta-explaine...
      - Oletros 9y ago
        An agreement that was negotiated for a long, long time? Not two years And what the UK wants is not a free trade agreement, they want the same acces that they have now.
        blibble 9y ago
        yes, it took a while to negotiate the UK wants an "ambitious free trade agreement", not membership of the single market, if you don't believe me see https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-governments-negotiating-objectives-for-exiting-the-eu-pm-speech https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-governments-negot... So we do not seek membership of the single market. Instead we seek the greatest possible access to it through a new, comprehensive, bold and ambitious free trade agreement.
      - crc32 9y ago
        Im not going to read that huge list of links, but from what I understand CETA doesn't cover e.g. eggs, poultry... https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/15/brexit-canada-trade-deal-eu-model-next-steps https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/15/brexit-canada-...
        Oletros 9y ago
        And doesn't cover finantial services, thing that is very important for the UK
      - TillE 9y ago
        A much more limited arrangement than the single market.
    - meh2frdf 9y ago
      Why not?
- meh2frdf 9y ago
  A free trade agreement does not require being in the EU. So of course they want one. The EU saying no is there way of punishing the UK, and discouraging any other nations from leaving. Hmmm. Freedom of choice indeed.
  - jk2323 9y ago
    "A free trade agreement does not require being in the EU." which is only offered to NON European countries. Please see the deal that Switzerland and Norway got. Deals that the UK does not want. "there way of punishing the UK" Look, If you are going to have a divorce and tell your wife: "Look, we are going to have a divorce but I don't want to pay alimony and we are going to stay fuck buddies and the cottage in Italy that you inherited from your parents, I am still going to use this." Then all this sounds like an excellent idea but if your wife says "I pass" this does not mean that your wife is going to "punish you". She is just passing on the deal.
    - meh2frdf 9y ago
      So the EU will offer will only free trade deals to those not in the European continent, that sounds even worse, sounds like trying to force people into their cartel.
      - jk2323 9y ago
        Take it or leave it. But now, you can get a free trade deal even if you are in the European continent. But then all four freedoms apply. No cherry picking. Use your brain!
prodmerc 9y ago
They'll get it, eventually. I gotta ask the opposite, why does the UK want such an FTA so much? Could it be, gasp, that they realized they're actually fucked without one?

hn_throwaway_99 9y ago

They had a great free trade agreement - when they were in the European Union.

Chris2048 9y ago
Did they? Where was the subsidy for shipping across the channel?
blibble 9y ago
that is not in question, but full membership is now politically unacceptable to the UK electorate the UK Government wants to keep barriers to trade as low as possible, it is seeking a free trade agreement the EU is currently ratifying the Canadian FTA, and last week announced agreement with Japan had been reached that would reduce barriers by 99%[1]... whilst simultaneously threatening the UK with increased barriers to trade [1]: https://www.ft.com/content/c874d02a-60ba-11e7-91a7-502f7ee26895 https://www.ft.com/content/c874d02a-60ba-11e7-91a7-502f7ee26...
- Oletros 9y ago
  > that is not in question, but full membership is now politically unacceptable to the UK electorate > the UK Government wants to keep barriers to trade as low as possible, it is seeking a free trade agreement UK electorate cannot have both
  - blibble 9y ago
    so what's this? http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/in-focus/ceta/ceta-explained/ http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/in-focus/ceta/ceta-explaine...
    - Oletros 9y ago
      An agreement that was negotiated for a long, long time? Not two years And what the UK wants is not a free trade agreement, they want the same acces that they have now.
      - blibble 9y ago
        yes, it took a while to negotiate the UK wants an "ambitious free trade agreement", not membership of the single market, if you don't believe me see https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-governments-negotiating-objectives-for-exiting-the-eu-pm-speech https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-governments-negot... So we do not seek membership of the single market. Instead we seek the greatest possible access to it through a new, comprehensive, bold and ambitious free trade agreement.
    - crc32 9y ago
      Im not going to read that huge list of links, but from what I understand CETA doesn't cover e.g. eggs, poultry... https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/15/brexit-canada-trade-deal-eu-model-next-steps https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/15/brexit-canada-...
      - Oletros 9y ago
        And doesn't cover finantial services, thing that is very important for the UK
    - TillE 9y ago
      A much more limited arrangement than the single market.
  - meh2frdf 9y ago
    Why not?
meh2frdf 9y ago
A free trade agreement does not require being in the EU. So of course they want one. The EU saying no is there way of punishing the UK, and discouraging any other nations from leaving. Hmmm. Freedom of choice indeed.
- jk2323 9y ago
  "A free trade agreement does not require being in the EU." which is only offered to NON European countries. Please see the deal that Switzerland and Norway got. Deals that the UK does not want. "there way of punishing the UK" Look, If you are going to have a divorce and tell your wife: "Look, we are going to have a divorce but I don't want to pay alimony and we are going to stay fuck buddies and the cottage in Italy that you inherited from your parents, I am still going to use this." Then all this sounds like an excellent idea but if your wife says "I pass" this does not mean that your wife is going to "punish you". She is just passing on the deal.
  - meh2frdf 9y ago
    So the EU will offer will only free trade deals to those not in the European continent, that sounds even worse, sounds like trying to force people into their cartel.
    - jk2323 9y ago
      Take it or leave it. But now, you can get a free trade deal even if you are in the European continent. But then all four freedoms apply. No cherry picking. Use your brain!

prodmerc 9y ago

They'll get it, eventually. I gotta ask the opposite, why does the UK want such an FTA so much? Could it be, gasp, that they realized they're actually fucked without one?