Quote:
Originally Posted by mrmistoffelees
Well apart from you're wrong again.... because...
t's all to do with something called the "level playing field" - the idea that countries keep their rules and standards close, to stop one country giving their businesses a competitive advantage - for example by having lower standards and so lower costs.
EU regulations
The extent to which the UK might diverge from EU regulations in the future and become an economic competitor has been a big issue in the Brexit debate.
EU regulations cover things like:
The working time directive, which limits the number of hours people can work
Maximum amounts of particular pollutants there can be in the air
Requirements for workers doing the same jobs to be paid equally.
They set minimum standards below which government cannot go. After Brexit, UK governments would no longer have to abide by these minimum levels.
In the new Brexit deal finalised this week, references to a level playing field were removed from the legally-binding withdrawal agreement.
Instead, they appear in the non-binding political declaration on the future relationship - as an aspiration, but not a legal commitment.
There's just on reason why it's worse
|
The "level playing field" has always been in the political declaration. Whilst the political declaration is not legally binding, it is meant to be a basis for any future agreement.
The only references to "level playing field" in the old WA, are in relation to "ARTICLE 6 Single customs territory, movement of goods".
If this "level playing field" wasn't one-sided, then theoretically the UK could introduced a policy that helped businesses(well the EU won't), then theoretically the EU would have to follow. Unfortunately that won't be the way it works, especially if Labour get their way. Every further burden the EU places on businesses would also have to applied in the UK, and all without the UK having a say in matters.