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Originally Posted by Ignitionnet
I've no time to answer this in full. I'm not shouting you down I'm pointing out that you are wrong and explaining why.
If you insist that you know best and all the lawyers, trade experts, etc, are wrong that's your prerogative, but it is absurd to suggest we could join EFTA without joining the EEA; the main point of EFTA is free trade with the EU without the political integration, and as already noted we won't be members of the WTO initially - it could be delayed for years as we need unanimous agreement from the other members.
Apart from yourself I have seen no-one suggest that we could join EFTA without joining the EEA. I would presume there's a good reason for that unless you're privvy to some finer details of the EFTA - EU relationship.
The EU do not need us to continue as before. We are 5% of their exports, they are ~44% of ours, and most of their exports to us are goods, not services. This is a lose:lose, there is no 'win' for the EU here, and there cannot be any 'win' for us either, else the entire thing comes crashing down.
We're the 5th largest trading nation in the world. They're the world's largest trading bloc. This is why we're gearing up to use people as leverage. Trade wise, we have very little.[COLOR="Silver"]
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These guys seem to disagree with you.They are constitutional specialists,lawyers,barristers ,judges ,all highly intelligent and experienced people ,just the sort of people who's opinions you have been using to form your opinions so it may be worth your while having a read .
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The UK was a founder member of EFTA but withdrew when we joined the EEC in 1973. We could apply to re-join with effect from the day after Brexit. There is no reason why the four current EFTA countries would not welcome us back, given that the UK is one of EFTA's largest export markets. EFTA membership would allow us to continue uninterrupted free trade relations with the four EFTA countries, and also to participate in EFTA's promotion of free trade deals with non-member countries around the world.
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It is completely untrue that you need to be a member of a large bloc like the EU in order to strike trade deals. The actual record of the EU compared to that (for example) of the EFTA countries demonstrates the direct opposite.
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Again, because of the EU customs union and 'common commercial policy', the UK is not able to negotiate its own trade agreements with non-member countries -- we can only do so as part of the EU. The UK will be able to participate in new trade agreements with non-member countries from the day after exit. The process of negotiating new trade deals can be started during the 2-year notice period leading up to Brexit, with a view to bringing them into force on or soon after the date of exit
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http://www.lawyersforbritain.org/index.html
Have a read it may give you a more up beat outlook