5 ms·

The UK is the third-biggest importer of goods from the EU after the US and China. It's an enormous market for EU goods which the EU most certainly needs. The UK

by Veen 5y ago

The UK is the third-biggest importer of goods from the EU after the US and China. It's an enormous market for EU goods which the EU most certainly needs. The UK is also the only nation in the geographic area except France with anything like a world-class military (although it doesn't compare to the US in that regard). It's also the second-biggest financial center in the world (and sometimes first depending on the relative position of New York and London). It's not as though the UK will be holding out a begging bowl because the EU decides to be difficult. It will, however, have to develop new markets, which will take some time and cause some issues, including the cheese issue in this story. There will be ups and downs as the situation finds a new balance.

CRConrad 5y ago
> It's not as though the UK will be holding out a begging bowl because the EU decides to be difficult. Oh, so it was the EU that decided to change the status quo ante?
xwolfi 5y ago
I think you suffer from myopia. The 4th export target of the EU is... Switzerland. Do we need Switzerland ? No, the fact the UK is geographically close to the EU and has no choice to import from us, does not make it as important as China, 20% of humanity, and the US, a giant economic power. We need to find a way to redirect/enrich India, another 20% of humanity, to import from us before following the UK in whatever folly takes them over their nationalist cheese ambitions. South America is too close to North America, but if we destabilize the India/China relationship enough while finding a way to move them forward in consumption, they could choose to import more than they do from the US... or the UK I guess ? As for Africa, I'm not sure how their import are, but it's probably going to take a while before reaching Chinese levels :(
- Veen 5y ago
  I suppose we'll have to wait and see how things shake out. The same arguments you've made about the EU finding new markets applies to the UK too. > the UK in whatever folly takes them over their nationalist cheese ambitions It's the EU's cheese ambitions that cause this problem. EU protectionism is why it's difficult for third countries to import certain goods without paying enormous tariffs.
ramphastidae 5y ago
> The UK is the third-biggest importer of goods from the EU after the US and China. It's an enormous market for EU goods which the EU most certainly needs. The point is that the UK needs the EU much more than the EU needs the UK.

by Veen 5y ago

CRConrad 5y ago

> It's not as though the UK will be holding out a begging bowl because the EU decides to be difficult. Oh, so it was the EU that decided to change the status quo ante?

xwolfi 5y ago

I think you suffer from myopia. The 4th export target of the EU is... Switzerland. Do we need Switzerland ? No, the fact the UK is geographically close to the EU and has no choice to import from us, does not make it as important as China, 20% of humanity, and the US, a giant economic power. We need to find a way to redirect/enrich India, another 20% of humanity, to import from us before following the UK in whatever folly takes them over their nationalist cheese ambitions. South America is too close to North America, but if we destabilize the India/China relationship enough while finding a way to move them forward in consumption, they could choose to import more than they do from the US... or the UK I guess ? As for Africa, I'm not sure how their import are, but it's probably going to take a while before reaching Chinese levels :(

Veen 5y ago
I suppose we'll have to wait and see how things shake out. The same arguments you've made about the EU finding new markets applies to the UK too. > the UK in whatever folly takes them over their nationalist cheese ambitions It's the EU's cheese ambitions that cause this problem. EU protectionism is why it's difficult for third countries to import certain goods without paying enormous tariffs.

ramphastidae 5y ago

> The UK is the third-biggest importer of goods from the EU after the US and China. It's an enormous market for EU goods which the EU most certainly needs. The point is that the UK needs the EU much more than the EU needs the UK.