BBC says obtained full copy of post-Brexit trade deal

[rooster59]

BBC says obtained full copy of post-Brexit trade deal

 

A person walks past an EU and a British flag in London, Britain, April 2, 2019. REUTERS/Hannah Mckay/Files

 

(Reuters) - The post-Brexit trade deal reached by the United Kingdom and the European Union goes beyond the EU's so-called "Canada-style" trade accord, the BBC said on Friday, citing what it said was a full copy of the accord.

 

The 1,246-page document includes about 800 pages of annexes and footnotes, the BBC said, adding that the pages of legal text will determine every aspect of trade between the UK and the EU.

 

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday had described the last-minute agreement as a "jumbo" free trade deal along the lines of that between the EU and Canada, and urged Britain to move on from the divisions caused by the 2016 Brexit referendum.

 

The BBC report added that at first look, the full post-Brexit text went beyond a so-called "Canada-style" deal.

 

One annex revealed a late compromise on electric cars, the BBC reported. The EU had sought to offer tariff-free access only to those British cars made mostly with European parts. That will now be phased in over six years, but is less generous than the UK had requested, the BBC said.

 

There is a clear commitment not to lower standards on the environment, workers' rights and climate change from those that currently exist and mechanisms to enforce them, the BBC reported.

 

However, it added that there is also a mutual right to "rebalance" the agreement if there are "significant divergences" in the future capable of "impacting trade".

 

Similarly, the restrictions compensation for unfair subsidies to companies "do not apply" in situations such as natural disasters, the BBC said. That will exempt the EU's large current pandemic support package for aviation, aerospace, climate change and electric cars.

 

Britain clinched a narrow Brexit trade deal with the European Union on Thursday, just seven days before it exits one of the world's biggest trading blocs.

 

The deal will preserve Britain's zero-tariff and zero-quota access to the bloc's single market of 450 million consumers, but will not prevent economic pain and disruption for the UK or for EU member states.

 

The UK formally left the EU on Jan. 31 but has since been in a transition period under which rules on trade, travel and business remained unchanged until the end of this year.

 

The British parliament will debate and vote on the deal on Dec. 30, just one day before the transition period lapses.

 

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Radhika Anilkumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Dan Grebler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-26

 

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[Somtamnication]

As long as it's true that UK kept 2/3 of the fish and we are not held to EU laws, I am ok with it.

[mfd101]

Interesting the amount of attention devoted to fishing (0.1% of UK GDP & 12000 jobs) vs the finance industry (apparently more or less abandoned, with 7% of UK GDP & 1.1 million jobs).

 

I guess that's politics. The average punter knows what a fish looks like, and a fisherman too, but has no concept of anything as abstract & invisible as the finance industry.

[placeholder]

1 hour ago, Somtamnication said:

As long as it's true that UK kept 2/3 of the fish and we are not held to EU laws, I am ok with it.

Actually, according to the reports, the UK will be obliged to abide by many EU laws including human rights provisions and subsidies to industries.

[robblok]

 

There is a clear commitment not to lower standards on the environment, workers' rights and climate change from those that currently exist and mechanisms to enforce them, the BBC reported.

 

However, it added that there is also a mutual right to "rebalance" the agreement if there are "significant divergences" in the future capable of "impacting trade".

 

Seems the Brexit die hards on the forum did not get their wish the UK needs to keep up their standards and can't diverge easily. If the EU later has better standards new negotiations can be done so in the end the UK will have to keep following the EU its standards to keep access. Something the die hards here hated. Seems BJ has given in. 

 

Happy that there is a deal and it will help both sides.

Edited December 26, 2020 by robblok

[robblok]

1 hour ago, Somtamnication said:

As long as it's true that UK kept 2/3 of the fish and we are not held to EU laws, I am ok with it.

Then im sure your against it. The UK must keep the standards of the EU (not a problem currently as it was in the EU recently). But it cannot lower its standards. Later when EU wants better standards it can tell the UK to do so or it can prevent access to its market. 

 

But then again that is how the deals are with other countries too. 

[tebee]

Should you want to read the agreement yourself it's here 

 

https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regdoc/rep/1/2020/EN/COM-2020-857-F1-EN-ANNEX-1-PART-1.PDF

 

quick skim and info from what others have said.

 

Zero tariffs, but only if UK remains closely aligned to EU, can be revoked at any time.

 

arbitration panels to decided if we are complying.

 

UK qualifications no longer recognised in EU automatically.

 

No Financial equivalence    

[ukrules]

11 minutes ago, tebee said:

Should you want to read the agreement yourself it's here 

 

https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regdoc/rep/1/2020/EN/COM-2020-857-F1-EN-ANNEX-1-PART-1.PDF

 

quick skim and info from what others have said.

 

Zero tariffs, but only if UK remains closely aligned to EU, can be revoked at any time.

 

arbitration panels to decided if we are complying.

 

UK qualifications no longer recognised in EU automatically.

 

No Financial equivalence    

Also here with an additional 34 page summary document :

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/agreements-reached-between-the-united-kingdom-of-great-britain-and-northern-ireland-and-the-european-union

 

 

[david555]

12 minutes ago, tebee said:

Should you want to read the agreement yourself it's here 

 

https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regdoc/rep/1/2020/EN/COM-2020-857-F1-EN-ANNEX-1-PART-1.PDF

 

quick skim and info from what others have said.

 

Zero tariffs, but only if UK remains closely aligned to EU, can be revoked at any time.

 

arbitration panels to decided if we are complying.

 

UK qualifications no longer recognised in EU automatically.

 

No Financial equivalence    

I wonder if Boris number of pages  are same as this ones.....?   Better count if his pages are the same number and same as the Star chamber from ERG received from him ...????

Edited December 26, 2020 by david555

[tebee]

1 minute ago, david555 said:

I wonder if Boris number of pages  are same as this ones.....?   Better count if his pages are the same number and same as the Star chamber from ERG received ????

 

Of course, not, he got the simplified version, written in crayon, with lots of pretty pictures......

[KannikaP]

I wonder how many copies of the 1200 odd pages were actually printed.

And if I dowload the pdf version, will Google, Cortana, Alexa or Siri read it out to me please?

[david555]

4 minutes ago, tebee said:

 

Of course, not, he got the simplified version, written in crayon, with lots of pretty pictures......

leaving those .... "just details... just details.." out ....

Edited December 26, 2020 by david555

[puipuitom]

30 minutes ago, tebee said:

Of course, not, he got the simplified version, written in crayon, with lots of pretty pictures......

For Boris they let all."details, details and details" away, and it therefore only mention""Brexit is done, we are back in control",.. Boris is the winner. ( with thanks to Jos Collignon , cartoonist)

 

Only for those pensionado's with houses in Spain, Portugal, France etc... it will be a nasty one: 90 days in, 90 days off. Curious what they now think, as I understand they massively supported Brexit. 

Edited December 26, 2020 by puipuitom

[robblok]

Just now, puipuitom said:

For Boris they let all."details, details and details" away, and it therefore only mention""Brexit is done, we are back in control",.. Boris is the winner

Of course first thing he did was congratulating himself. Declaring victory while is still shackled to the EU for the fair playing field. Fishing is a different story he just has to endure for 5 years and then he can negotiate again and this time he has the power. Still far from the victory he declared. 

 

Still the EU has lost on fishing.

[david555]

8 minutes ago, robblok said:

Of course first thing he did was congratulating himself. Declaring victory while is still shackled to the EU for the fair playing field. Fishing is a different story he just has to endure for 5 years and then he can negotiate again and this time he has the power. Still far from the victory he declared. 

 

Still the EU has lost on fishing.

if i am correct it is 5.5 years ..... dont give a half years of "UnionJack printed " fishtails away  ????

Edited December 26, 2020 by david555

[puipuitom]

13 minutes ago, robblok said:

Of course first thing he did was congratulating himself. Declaring victory while is still shackled to the EU for the fair playing field. Fishing is a different story he just has to endure for 5 years and then he can negotiate again and this time he has the power. Still far from the victory he declared. 

 

Still the EU has lost on fishing.

Till now, 80% of the British catch was exported to the EU, as quite some fish the British hardly eat, like herring, mackerel.

 

Only slight minor detail: to import, first a veterinarian check, inclusive an EU fish allowance number.

As far as I know, NO BRITISH fish processor applied for such an EU allowance number. Ask the Thai fish exporters.

 

Or in other words: be happy with a catch allowance, your inland customers hardly eat, and no possibility to export it to the former consumers.

Conclusion: in 6 months quite some British fishermen are bankrupt. Curious, how the Scots will react, whet Sturgeon won next election with an ever larger majority.

 

Ach. who cares, details, details details... 

 

EU import conditions for seafood and other fishery products

https://ec.europa.eu/.../safety/docs/ia_trade_import-cond-fish_en.… · PDF-bestand

EU import conditions for seafood and other fishery products The European Union (EU) is by far the world’s biggest importer of fish, seafood and aquaculture products. Import rules for these products are harmonised, meaning that the same rules apply in all EU countries. On behalf of all EU Member States, the

Edited December 26, 2020 by puipuitom

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

As long as it's true that UK kept 2/3 of the fish and we are not held to EU laws, I am ok with it.

Yeah what Englishman gives a sod about the EU it will crumble with all it's hanger on hand out country members and UK is free of them. 

[placeholder]

8 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Yeah what Englishman gives a sod about the EU it will crumble with all it's hanger on hand out country members and UK is free of them. 

If the present doesn't support your case, by all means invoke an imaginary future.

[robblok]

10 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Yeah what Englishman gives a sod about the EU it will crumble with all it's hanger on hand out country members and UK is free of them. 

You Brits have a pretty high opinion of yourself. The EU will just go on without you guys. Not having you does not mean we crumble. You guys are not special your actually in decline as a country. From an empire to ... who knows if the Scots take back control and watch the UK crumble ????

[placeholder]

1 minute ago, robblok said:

You Brits have a pretty high opinion of yourself. The EU will just go on without you guys. Not having you does not mean we crumble. You guys are not special your actually in decline as a country. From an empire to ... who knows if the Scots take back control and watch the UK crumble ????

Maybe the name will change from UK to just K?

[Aforek]

12 minutes ago, robblok said:

You Brits have a pretty high opinion of yourself. The EU will just go on without you guys. Not having you does not mean we crumble. You guys are not special your actually in decline as a country. From an empire to ... who knows if the Scots take back control and watch the UK crumble ????

From what  I have read, somewhere the EU is relieved to no longer have the English; for 48 years the relationship has been very difficult, it's good that they are leaving: and Great Britain, like my country (France) is an  average country which do not weigh very heavily against the USA, China, India ;  being in a block is a good thing these days

[stevenl]

44 minutes ago, robblok said:

Of course first thing he did was congratulating himself. Declaring victory while is still shackled to the EU for the fair playing field. Fishing is a different story he just has to endure for 5 years and then he can negotiate again and this time he has the power. Still far from the victory he declared. 

 

Still the EU has lost on fishing.

I don't care who won to be honest/. The brexiteers have a hard brexit so are happy, the EU is happy there is a deal, sop I presume also the remainers are happy (all relative of course).

 

So all in all I think everybody can be happy. 

[david555]

53 minutes ago, puipuitom said:

For Boris they let all."details, details and details" away, and it therefore only mention""Brexit is done, we are back in control",.. Boris is the winner. ( with thanks to Jos Collignon , cartoonist)

 

Only for those pensionado's with houses in Spain, Portugal, France etc... it will be a nasty one: 90 days in, 90 days off. Curious what they now think, as I understand they massively supported Brexit. 

They can always choose to take residence in the country where those  houses are in Spain, Portugal, France etc and abandon the U.K. residency status.....But finish to take the "one foot in ... on foot out " status as  before the U.K. as  privilege's had 

Edited December 26, 2020 by david555

[robblok]

4 minutes ago, stevenl said:

I don't care who won to be honest/. The brexiteers have a hard brexit so are happy, the EU is happy there is a deal, sop I presume also the remainers are happy (all relative of course).

 

So all in all I think everybody can be happy. 

The only reason i care is because they said he would not cave ect ect. Kept saying he would not but he did. Its more a question of being right about something.

 

But sure i think everyone should be happy that there is a deal.

[Nout]

The BBC has obtained?

Edited December 26, 2020 by Nout

[BusyB]

 

The only country in the world that wanted a trade deal that erects barriers and imposes sanctions on it.

 

English management is what I call it.

[Loiner]

12 minutes ago, stevenl said:

I don't care who won to be honest/. The brexiteers have a hard brexit so are happy, the EU is happy there is a deal, sop I presume also the remainers are happy (all relative of course).

 

So all in all I think everybody can be happy. 

It's not as hard as I would have liked, but the main principles of control and sovereignty for the UK are there so we will thrive and make the best of it.

Remainers appear to be subdued so probably fairly happy as the main trade agreement is made, but still finding a few inconsequential issues to moan about.

The usual europosters here are as nonsensical as they ever were but obviously not happy. Some misplaced gloating, but essentially still as bitter and twisted in their rants, personal attacks on Boris and latching on to minor points. They should be the happiest of all, now the bulk of their trade will continue, but they still fear/loath/envy the UK and love a spot of Brit bashing. The more they post, the more I am convinced we are well out of it and the EU will gradually disintegrate.

[tebee]

the agreement is all things to all men.

 

We have no tariffs. We have the right to make our own laws - but as soon as we make one the EU doesn't like we no longer have free trade.

 

We are not bound by the ECJ. But we are bound by 3 man adjudication panels and guess who will appoint the adjudicators?

 

We have some fishing control back. but unless we start liking squid and mackerel we are still under the EU's thumb as they are our main market and can make it hard to export it.

 

We don't have financial equivalence, so the EU can slowly squeeze the city of London, but no one likes bankers so who cares ?   

 

I think it's a very cleverly written agreement, one that both sides can sell as a win to their people.

 

We still have all the problems caused by leaving the customs union.

 

it's EEA membership without the advantages of being part of the single market      

[david555]

 (I know its from Express ....???? ....but anyway  i expect it  to become truth , as this "deal" is a forced one for  a "Christmas looming deadline " deal ....so a decade of mini  negotiations to come ....) ????

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1376853/brexit-news-latest-boris-johnson-ursula-von-der-leyen-uk-eu-negotiations-will-never-end

'Negotiations NEVER end!' Legal expert highlights worrying 10-page section of Brexit deal
THE BREXIT deal will lead to a future relationship between the UK and the EU involving "negotiations without end", a legal expert has warned.

By BRIAN MCGLEENON
PUBLISHED: 10:41, Sat, Dec 26, 2020 | UPDATED: 10:58, Sat, Dec 26, 2020

Lawyer David Allen Green warned the deal will "not bring Brexit to an end", as he began analysing the 1,246-page document. He said on Twitter: "About ten pages of the UK-EU trade agreement are devoted to setting up, without exaggeration, dozens and dozens of UK-EU talking shops. Committees, assemblies, working groups, and so on.

 

"All with various powers and functions. "Welcome to the future, negotiations without end."
On his 'The Law and Policy' blog, Mr Green added Brexit will be a prolonged "contested subject for at least a generation". Writing in his influential blog on Boxing Day, the expert on topical law and policy matters said: "Brexit will be a contested subject for at least a generation.

 

 

Edited December 26, 2020 by david555

[candide]

24 minutes ago, david555 said:

 (I know its from Express ....???? ....but anyway  i expect it  to become truth , as this "deal" is a forced one for  a "Christmas looming deadline " deal ....so a decade of mini  negotiations to come ....) ????

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1376853/brexit-news-latest-boris-johnson-ursula-von-der-leyen-uk-eu-negotiations-will-never-end

'Negotiations NEVER end!' Legal expert highlights worrying 10-page section of Brexit deal
THE BREXIT deal will lead to a future relationship between the UK and the EU involving "negotiations without end", a legal expert has warned.

By BRIAN MCGLEENON
PUBLISHED: 10:41, Sat, Dec 26, 2020 | UPDATED: 10:58, Sat, Dec 26, 2020

Lawyer David Allen Green warned the deal will "not bring Brexit to an end", as he began analysing the 1,246-page document. He said on Twitter: "About ten pages of the UK-EU trade agreement are devoted to setting up, without exaggeration, dozens and dozens of UK-EU talking shops. Committees, assemblies, working groups, and so on.

 

"All with various powers and functions. "Welcome to the future, negotiations without end."
On his 'The Law and Policy' blog, Mr Green added Brexit will be a prolonged "contested subject for at least a generation". Writing in his influential blog on Boxing Day, the expert on topical law and policy matters said: "Brexit will be a contested subject for at least a generation.

 

 

It's also what I understand, as it is an unfinished, incomplete contract. They settled on easy issues, and also on issues with a strong short-term impact, in order to avoid a crash.  They left the most controversial ones for further discussion.

 

A complete contract would have allowed people to turn the page and move on. It likely won't be the case. In UK, the divide between leavers and remainers, supporters of soft vs hard Brexit, will go on. At each occasion in the negotiation process, this divide will show up. For the EU, it also means the position of UK negotiators will change over time according to UK domestic politics, i.e. a Labour government may have different orientations than a Tory government.