In article ,
tim... wrote:

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
tim... wrote:
We will use standard WTO rules until we can negotiate something
better.

We will almost certainly, unilaterally remove import tariffs from
stuff that we "need" to import, such as food!

If the UK is outside the EU, what do you mean by unilaterally? In
contravention of WTO rules?

WTO rules allow you to apply tariffs (to imports), they don't mandate it.

Currently we apply tariffs to food from ROW because the EU requires us
to do so to protect the vested interests of inefficient EU farmers.
Including our own, as it happens.

If we left the EU we would have no need to be protectionist and would
(probably) remove all tariffs from imported foodstuffs, even if the
other countries that we import from did not reciprocate.

Think you'd find our farmers up in arms if you allowed all and any food
imports from the very cheapest source. But perhaps that's what you want?

An independant UK is never going to have a problem importing goods.

Correct

but there is no need for us to make it artificially more expensive like
we do at the moment

Odd the recent calls we had for tariffs on Chinese steel, then?

Why would it? Apart from perhaps strategically sensitive stuff like
arms, etc.

The difficult bit is exporting stuff - to pay for all those imports.

As I have said more than once, the majority of our exports are of
"quality" and specialist products. The demand for those would not go
away

And you think the price of those goods doesn't matter? Everyone will rush
to buy them regardless because they are unique?

Be interesting to know what they are, though.

--
*Ever stop to think and forget to start again?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.