The UK Government has published a 30-page document outlining its priorities for trade talks with the European Union. The EU has already published their priorities for a trade deal.
In an oral statement to Parliament, Michael Gove told MPs that the UK wanted to strike a ‘comprehensive free trade agreement’ in 10 months, and that the Government would not accept any alignment with EU laws. The Government has stated that it is prepared to walk away from negotiations in June if there is insufficient progress. This is to allow it to focus solely on preparing for a no-deal scenario.
Other aspects of the UK document include:
- The UK ‘will not negotiate any arrangements in which the UK does not have control of its own laws and political life’.
- The UK’s aim is for a trading relationship with the EU similar to the ones the 27-nation bloc has with Canada, Japan and South Korea.
- There will be no jurisdiction for EU law or the European Court of Justice in the UK.
- The UK will rely on World Trade Organization rules under an arrangement with the EU similar to Australia’s if progress on a comprehensive deal cannot be made.
- The Government wants to agree a ‘broad outline’ of a deal with the EU ‘capable of being rapidly finalised by September’ in the next four months.
- If that does not happen it will decide whether to switch focus to leaving on WTO terms at the end of December.
The full published document ‘The Future Relationship with the EU – The UK’s Approach to Negotiations’ can be found here.