EU Sets out there position on Brexit

So the European union has confirmed how they see the transition period working and it certainly looks like the start of a negotiation stance rather than a blueprint for how we should go forward.

Certainly the hope that the UK will continue to blindly follow all its rules and not be involved in the decision making process appears to be a very one-sided view of where this discussion should end up and it will be interesting to see where the UK’s opening position is placed.

At the moment the idea that a resolution can be met by March 2018 seems a long way off, especially considering the time it has taken to get to this point. This transition period is seen as a way to shore up the relationship whilst the terms of the UK’s post-Brexti negotiations continue to play out.

The EU’s position is :

All EU rules and regulations – as well as EU rule changes adopted after March 2019 – should apply in the UK during the transition phase

• There can be no “cherry picking” on the single market – so free movement into the UK should continue
• The UK will not be involved in the decision-making of EU bodies
• It cannot implement its own international agreements unless the EU agrees
• Work should continue on finding a solution to the Northern Ireland border question, one of the main sticking points in the first round of negotiations

Britian’s ability to negotiate trade deals with other countries during this transitional period is an important factor but the legalities of the EU insisting these cannot come into force until after the transition period has come to an end seems suspect.

Although this transitional process is seen as a way of protecting holidaymakers & security the key as always is the impact on trade and signing up to a transition period where the EU can determine a law without redress that harms UK business is something that needs to be looked at very carefully.

The Union customs code is seen as a key building block that both Businesses and UK Revenue departments seem to love but the EU may just be setting the bar a little higher than is feasible.