Britain outside the EU

[1andrew1]

We do need to get this sorted out. It's been a month.

Brexit 'teething problems' endemic and could ruin us, say UK businesses

Ease of trading is key measure of success, say cross-channel businesses, not lack of lorry traffic

It was billed as a deal that would secure tariff-free access to the EU, that “sunlit uplands” would follow initial disruption to trade.

But one month since the Brexit trade deal came into force, businesses are warning that the “teething problems” Boris Johnson described in a visit to Scotland last week are in fact symptomatic of endemic disruption that will force many businesses to restructure and will mean the end of some British businesses altogether.

“The last month has been like Dante’s fifth circle of hell” for importers and exporters unable to move supplies because of new red tape, said Ben Fletcher, the policy director of Make UK, which represents manufacturers across the UK.

One internationally renowned car manufacturer had “1,000 cars sitting in their car park partially built because they could not get the parts in time,” said Fletcher. “They said this has never happened ever before.”

A survey by Make UK of its members shows that 60% of companies that said there were ready for Brexit “now experience disruption” and are “also finding supply chains significantly impacted.

“There is real anger and incredible frustration for people who either import or export that they are simply not able to move stuff. It is just incredibly difficult to get the paperwork right and there have been very low levels of support from government,” he added.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...mic-disruption

---------- Post added at 23:48 ---------- Previous post was at 23:40 ----------

Originally Posted by Chris

It would have been politically very difficult and given that David Cameron would probably still be the PM, I’d say also very unlikely.

Really hard to hypothesise who the PM would be in 2020 if the referendum had gone the other way. It could even have been BoJo.

[nomadking]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

We do need to get this sorted out. It's been a month.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics...mic-disruption

---------- Post added at 23:48 ---------- Previous post was at 23:40 ----------
Really hard to hypothesise who the PM would be in 2020 if the referendum had gone the other way. It could even have been BoJo.

How much of the delays were Covid related? There is also a general HGV driver shortage.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by nomadking

How much of the delays were Covid related? There is also a general HGV driver shortage.

Have a read of the article and decide for yourself.

[nomadking]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

Have a read of the article and decide for yourself.

There is a Europe-wide lorry driver shortage. That is going to have an impact, whatever else is going on.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

We could have run our own vaccines programme as an EU member. It was not compulsory to be a part of the EU one.

I know that we had the choice. We picked the right one, and it has shown up the EU to be the slow, inefficient monster it is.

[tweetiepooh]

They do need to sort a few things out though like the one cheese maker reporting that every export to the EU needs it's own vet cert. His £20 cheese boxes each need a £180 certificate.
And the various tax bodies need to work something out especially for small traders.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

I know that we had the choice. We picked the right one, and it has shown up the EU to be the slow, inefficient monster it is.

We absolutely did the right thing on vaccines. But to use one optional procurement project as a business case for not retaining closer ties to our major market and to replace it with lots of red tape, costs bureaucracy and other deterrents to trade is interesting, to say the least.

---------- Post added at 11:12 ---------- Previous post was at 11:11 ----------

Originally Posted by tweetiepooh

They do need to sort a few things out though like the one cheese maker reporting that every export to the EU needs it's own vet cert. His £20 cheese boxes each need a £180 certificate.
And the various tax bodies need to work something out especially for small traders.

That's what being a third country looks like, despite the promises of David Davis to the contrary. It's inevitable we will develop closer ties with the EU and I'm grateful we got a trade agreement which provides the means to achieve this.

[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

We absolutely did the right thing on vaccines. But to use one optional procurement project as a business case for not retaining closer ties to our major market and to replace it with lots of red tape, costs bureaucracy and other deterrents to trade is interesting, to say the least.

---------- Post added at 11:12 ---------- Previous post was at 11:11 ----------


That's what being a third country looks like, despite the promises of David Davis to the contrary. It's inevitable we will develop closer ties with the EU and I'm grateful we got a trade agreement which provides the means to achieve this.

Actually your note above proves the point that Brexit was right.

On the one hand, our freedom to act (in any way) has been clearly demonstrated as a benefit.

On the other hand, the inevitability you state of developing closer "ties" with the EU via development of the existing trade agreement is logical and does not need us to be in the EU.

So thank you at last.

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

We absolutely did the right thing on vaccines. But to use one optional procurement project as a business case for not retaining closer ties to our major market and to replace it with lots of red tape, costs bureaucracy and other deterrents to trade is interesting, to say the least.

On the contrary, the vaccine debacle has shown up the European Commission for the dictatorial, inept organ that it is. This is not a new thing - it’s just our first major experience of seeing it the way most of the world sees it. Previously we would sit in our corner and moan about its pettifogging bureaucracy and its political tin ear, and all the while our national reputation and economic power was propping it up and adding to its legitimacy.

The European Union is diminished by our departure, and a good thing too. No longer will the world perceive us to be a part of that shower.

[jonbxx]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

Actually your note above proves the point that Brexit was right.

On the one hand, our freedom to act (in any way) has been clearly demonstrated as a benefit.

On the other hand, the inevitability you state of developing closer "ties" with the EU via development of the existing trade agreement is logical and does not need us to be in the EU.

So thank you at last.

But we didn't have to be part of the Commissions vaccine program even if we were part of the EU - that was each nations choice (see Hungary bringing the Sputnik vaccine in)

[Hom3r]

It came on my phone this morning that Macron is facing a loss in wine exports.

25% of French wine ends p in the UK, but Brits have been dumping EU stuff and buying wine from Australia, Chile etc.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world...pdate-video-vn

Originally Posted by jonbxx

But we didn't have to be part of the Commissions vaccine program even if we were part of the EU - that was each nations choice (see Hungary bringing the Sputnik vaccine in)

Actually Hungary is part of the vaccine programme. The programme allows member states to contract with drug companies the commission is not dealing with, and it allows them also to place supplementary orders with companies the commission is dealing with, though those orders may not be fulfilled until after orders placed through the programme have been. The European Commission has not been negotiating to acquire any Russian vaccine.

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And, to repeat the point I made yesterday, if we were in the EU it would have been politically very difficult to have remained outside its procurement scheme.

[tweetiepooh]

Originally Posted by Hom3r

It came on my phone this morning that Macron is facing a loss in wine exports.

25% of French wine ends p in the UK, but Brits have been dumping EU stuff and buying wine from Australia, Chile etc.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world...pdate-video-vn

I don't like Australian wine, US is worse. Chile do make some nice stuff, for whites New Zealand. Trouble is too many new world wines are over extracted so get a slight bitter taste and really nice old world wines are expensive.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Chris

And, to repeat the point I made yesterday, if we were in the EU it would have been politically very difficult to have remained outside its procurement scheme.

Whilst an EU member, the UK remained outside the Euro and Schengen zone so I'm sure we would have been just fine remaining outside the vaccination procurement as well.

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

Whilst an EU member, the UK remained outside the Euro and Schengen zone so I'm sure we would have been just fine remaining outside the vaccination procurement as well.

You’re not comparing apples with apples. The currency and the border-free travel area were both contrary to long-standing British policy, favoured by Labour and Tory governments alike. The vaccine procurement programme is a one-off response to a crisis being endured equally by all member states. As a member of the EU it would have been politically very difficult not to be seen to be playing our part, not least because while we were members it was British policy to always try to position ourselves as showing leadership (with limited success I might add).

Ireland is outside Schengen but inside the vaccine procurement scheme.
Sweden and Denmark* are outside the Euro but inside the vaccine procurement scheme.

*Via negotiated exemption - Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Romania are committed to eventually joining.