On 22/05/2017 16:53, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
James Harris wrote:
We would want to continue existing trade with Type 1 countries and
possibly improve such deals by making them tailored to us and them.
Some of them have already indicated their desire to do so.

They may well have to choose who they value more - trade with the EU *or*
the UK.

This is where I begin to struggle to understand your viewpoint. Why
might these countries need to choose between the UK and the EU27? Why
will they not continue to trade with both?

It depends on what conditions they trade under. If they have an existing
agreement with the EU, it could well be there will be clashes with goods
from the UK.

I don't see what clash you mean. Could you give an example?


This is exactly why such negotiations take many many years - and even then
may fail.

You don't have to look far to see the problem. At the moment, there is an
open border between Eire and Ulster. When we leave the EU - assuming no
agreement - that will have to be closed to prevent smuggling. It's rather
obvious we can't have a free trade agreement with just Eire (or any other
EU country) because once goods from the UK arrive there they can move
freely within the EU. And vice versa.

Ireland is a special case because of the border's potential effect on
the peace process. David Davis has said the government may be willing to
accept some loss of customs revenue. The Irish government and the EU
have said it would be important to get a good arrangement. And there are
other suggestions of customs controls managed with a combination of
posts away from the border and with technology. So the Irish border will
be a challenge but not one the negotiators are unaware of.


--
James Harris