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Originally Posted by 1andrew1
One myth about Theresa May's deal that needs dispelling.
We can never be trapped in a permanent customs union. As a sovereign nation we can always quit any kind of arrangement by resorting to the Vienna convention on international treaties.
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With a Customs Union we would have to slavishly follow EU rules, WITHOUT having any say in them. We would NOT be able to set our own rules. We also would NOT be able to do other trade deals with other countries in product/service areas covered by the Customs Union. We would have to apply the same import tariffs that the EU tells us to. Turkey may be happy with that, then again the EU is gives them BILLIONS in cash.
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Turkey has little or no freedom to develop trade policy with other countries across the world and its relationship with the EU is therefore asymmetric and dependent.
Yes, Turkey has around 20 free-trade agreements, but they are ultimately a one-way street that can put Turkish firms at a competitive disadvantage. Turkey has to open its markets to any country the EU strikes an agreement with. But it doesn’t get any say over how that agreement is formed and doesn’t even get the same immediate duty-free access to that country’s market that EU members do.
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