Where the United Kingdom stands now UK politics are in turmoil following the Government’s last-minute decision on 10 December to postpone the House of Commons “meaningful vote” – which had been scheduled for the following day – on the draft UK/EU Withdrawal Agreement and its accompanying Political Declaration on future bilateral relations. Ministers had been […]
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Brexit – Wherever Next?
BREXIT – WHEREVER NEXT? On November 14 2018 the United Kingdom Cabinet agreed, following what was described as an “impassioned” debate, to the draft EU Withdrawal Agreement and the associated Political Declaration on the future UK/EU relationship which had been negotiated by officials. That opened the way for the EU 27 heads of government, to […]
Read moreTime for a Declaration: Reflections on the Framework for Future UK-EU arrangements
How do you work out a trade deal? If you are a party to one of the 280 or so other free trade agreements (FTAs) in the world[1], your starting point was the commitments you had made at the WTO. This is technically referred to trade on Most Favoured Nation (MFN) terms.[2] You and other […]
Read moreThe UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration on Future Arrangements: Five Key Points for UK Trade Policy.
In perhaps the most significant development since the UK voted to leave the European Union in June 2016, negotiators representing the UK and the EU member states have struck an agreement on the terms of the UK’s withdrawal from EU membership. Accompanying that draft Withdrawal Agreement is a draft Political Declaration that provides a framework […]
Read moreBREXIT – FOUR MONTHS TO GO
Where we are now It is now almost a month since the European Council discussion of Brexit on October 17, which had for many months been the target date for agreement on the UK’s terms of withdrawal. That meeting produced no agreement, but also no surprises because expectations on both sides of the Channel had […]
Read moreWTO reforms and future options for UK trade policy after Brexit
What can be done to save the WTO? The question was on the minds of officials from 13 countries – including Canada, the European Union, Australia, Switzerland, Brazil, Kenya and Mexico – meeting in Ottawa at the end of October. The meeting came on the heels of proposals put forward by Canada and the EU, […]
Read moreEdging towards a people’s vote on Brexit?
On Saturday October 20 the second, long-planned, march in support of a People’s Vote (that is, a further referendum) on the terms of any eventual Brexit deal took place in London. In perfect autumn weather the march wound its way from Park Lane through the centre of London in the direction of Parliament Square, where […]
Read moreDemocracy, Referenda, and Brexit
A new “People’s Vote”? Less than six months now remain until the legal date for Brexit of 29 March 2019. In the last few days there have been some more optimistic-sounding briefings on both sides of the Channel about the prospects for agreement, but these were quickly toned down. There is still no agreement, either […]
Read moreThe “Canada model”: is it a viable option?
Could the future relationship between the UK and the EU take on a Canadian flavour? That is the proposal put forward by Boris Johnson in the run up to the Conservative Party’s conference. In an article on 28 September, he called for a “SuperCanada” agreement as the model the UK and the EU should adopt […]
Read moreWhat moves on Free Movement?
Along with the Irish border, the question of free movement was one of the seemingly intractable questions at the recent EU summit in Salzburg. Put simply the EU does not want to convey the impression that it is possible for the UK – or any other member -to give up a commitment to this key […]
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