The world looks on as disagreement in Europe continues, when most countries we work with would prefer a lasting solution.
With a number of politicians, civil servants and advisers working into the night, international trade deals can appear to be honed to abject detail. The reality is that many develop, as their practical operation requires.
Throw in the political aspects of Brexit, an unprecedented position of a country leaving the EU, the rushed timescale towards the end. That perfection was not achieved should not be a surprise.
Dates for new actions to cut in have needed to be postponed, intended methodology changed. Minor adjustments which have not caused much dissent and often helped but the same can not be said for the wider picture.
Illogical Confrontation
Political actions and public statements on the continuing Brexit saga do not reflect the position. Europe always has been and still is our largest trading partner, we are allies in a military and economic sense.
Brexit happened and whatever your views, needs to be consigned to history. Nothing can be achieved by regarding this as an ongoing battle, when the goal should be to see how we can work together for mutual benefit.
Legal overrides from the UK, or declarations of illegality from the EU will not help. Those points will end up being negotiated and should be now, alongside taking the opportunity to address a range of barriers.
A Restrictive Agreement
Brexit was partly proposed on the basis of making our own laws and regulations but is absolute separation viable. An example is our intention to not only stop using the CE mark but ban goods assured by this from sale.
The complexity of exporting food to the EU is more pronounced. A combination of health and product origin rules have led trade associations to describe the agreement on food products as a hidden hard Brexit.
Dealing with VAT across different EU states is complex, the limitations placed on business travel and work activities can be impractical.
Had all these been part of a trade deal with a far away nation, which might represent a tiny percentage of GDP, we would need to manage. To sustain them with our largest trading partner is less than rational.
A little like Brexit, the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement happened. An outcome of circumstances which prevailed at the time but not an ideal solution for two parties so close in geographic and trade terms.
We now supply ATA carnets to the EU, under a procedure which is far more international, yet more viable. A supplementary deal must eventually come on our relationship with the EU, all the better if this was today’s focus.
The UK and EU could begin by working together to create consistent interpretation of rules we do have, then gradually build on them. Come to agree on ways we can draw closer, rather than drift further apart, or dive into litigation.
Barriers only exist because we put them there, they inevitably reduce cooperation and economic progress. We are entering a period where the opposite is essential and can be achieved with a more pragmatic approach.