Can any of you remoaners tell me what WE can’t do by ourselves that we can being in the EU ? I don’t mean like produce wine that itay/france do because obviously we don’t need it (well most of us). I mean why can’t we be self sufficient ? Sure, like any change it’s gonna be hard at first but in the long run I can’t see why we can’t do it.
It is because the UK are in a trade alliance with the EU.
During the 40 odd years of being in, the EU, the EU have made trade agreements all over the world. Those agreements are the EUs, not the UKs.
We do huge trade directly with the EU. Everything complies with an EU standard.
That means there are no checks. We can sell to 27 other countries with the same standards, no checks anywhere.
If we leave we lose all those agreements overnight. We become a third country. To maintain frictionless trade we need a deal -that ends 'no deal'.
Externally to the EU, we would have not a single trade agreement in place. Yes we can trade under standard WTO terms, but almost no other country does that.
Negotiating new trade agreements takes years - because its like bartering. But the UK has to have instant trade deals in place.....to trade, as we do now.
In the event of a no deal, the UK would of course get some form of FTA -it would be stupid to think we would not.....but that ends 'no deal'.
Also, say we get a FTA with the EU, just a temporary one to ease the short term problems......all great......until we go off and negotiate say a US deal. Then there would be new standards, new regulations. We no longer then conform to EU regulations and become a 3rd country.
It all comes down to trade agreements and regulatory standards.
In theory we could be self sufficient, but all dang paperwork stops it being possible.
I realise its all very boring.......and not easy to put in a soundbite and sell in a campaign.