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efta4uk.bsky.social
EFTA4UK
@efta4uk.bsky.social
Looking for a workable 🇬🇧 relationship with Europe without the political entanglements of EU membership since 2014. Big fans of the EFTA 4 🇳🇴🇨🇭🇮🇸🇱🇮
One Day
Two Votes
EU - voter disconnect…?
November 22, 2023 at 9:05 PM
This is a good article by
@MPIainDS
👇✅
But part of the strategy must surely be fostering strong trade links with allies…including those across Europe 🇬🇧🇪🇺🇳🇴🇨🇭🇮🇸🇱🇮

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/11...
This is the most dangerous moment since the Cold War ended
Our complacent liberal assumptions are under threat as never before. We need to recognise the danger
www.telegraph.co.uk
November 10, 2023 at 6:47 AM
🧐
How will they deal with the ECJ which 🇪🇺 want to be the ultimate arbiter of any framework 🇪🇺🇨🇭 agreement
Swiss Move Closer To Returning To EU Talks

www.barrons.com/news/swiss-m...
Swiss Move Closer To Returning To EU Talks
The Swiss government indicated Wednesday that it is moving closer to resuming talks with the EU towards a broad cooperation agreement, two years after suddenly slamming the door on years-long negotiat...
www.barrons.com
November 8, 2023 at 9:59 PM
Reposted by EFTA4UK
Interestingly this shows that for most who voted leave it was a vote based on principle (ie-they weren’t “tricked” or any other excuse that the bien pensants may like to say).
Wonder how much of the remain vote was on principled love of the EU or just “meh, don’t rock the boat”…
November 8, 2023 at 1:49 PM
Reposted by EFTA4UK
☕ This morning we've got new polling for you.

John Curtice analyses our latest Brexit tracker poll from Redfield and Wilton.

Sovereignty, economy, immigration: still the three pillars of the Brexit debate? 👇

ukandeu.ac.uk/sovereignty-...
Sovereignty, economy, immigration: still the three pillars of the Brexit debate? - UK in a changing ...
John Curtice explores whether sovereignty, the economy and immigration are still key to Leave voters' attitudes towards Brexit.
ukandeu.ac.uk
November 8, 2023 at 10:31 AM
Quite liking the quality of debate on things trade & Brexit here but think this site could use some more EU-sceptic voices (Julian Jessop, Catherine McBride & others who we don’t think are here) or there’s a danger it’ll become an echo chamber…
November 6, 2023 at 5:09 PM
Reposted by EFTA4UK
November 6, 2023 at 5:54 AM
We know the answer to this one!!
I see there is a paper out by self-professed lovers of free trade claiming that trade barriers actually make no difference in the one specific instance when free trade is with a counterpart they do not like.
November 6, 2023 at 8:19 AM
November 6, 2023 at 5:54 AM
Reposted by EFTA4UK
Though 🇬🇧 is not an Arctic state, its strategic position neighbouring the region, reliance on sea lines, its role in NATO & its leadership on climate-change issues all entail a need for close engagement with developments in the High North.
That means hard & soft power
www.rand.org/pubs/researc...
UK strategy for the High North
This report offers a perspective on how the UK could maximise its influence in the High North through enhanced cooperation across government and within multilateral fora in order to tackle environment...
www.rand.org
November 4, 2023 at 12:16 AM
Though 🇬🇧 is not an Arctic state, its strategic position neighbouring the region, reliance on sea lines, its role in NATO & its leadership on climate-change issues all entail a need for close engagement with developments in the High North.
That means hard & soft power
www.rand.org/pubs/researc...
UK strategy for the High North
This report offers a perspective on how the UK could maximise its influence in the High North through enhanced cooperation across government and within multilateral fora in order to tackle environment...
www.rand.org
November 4, 2023 at 12:16 AM
Going Swiss 🇨🇭
And another daft post-Brexit barrier between the UK and EU is set to be removed. Trend for mini-deals towards closer relations is obvious... www.ft.com/content/b317...
UK to ease post-Brexit travel rules for French school trips
Changes could be extended to other EU member states
www.ft.com
November 3, 2023 at 7:43 AM
This is quite fascinating if you have time to read it
The Maastricht Treaty was the founding moment of modern 🇬🇧 euroscepticism.
What’s entirely lacking from this 👇 is any sense of needing to defend the EU as an idea

johnmajorarchive.org.uk/1992/05/20/m...
Mr Major’s Commons Statement on the European Community – 20 May 1992 – The Rt. Hon. Sir John M...
johnmajorarchive.org.uk
November 3, 2023 at 7:42 AM
Where will this lead…? 🇳🇴🧐

europeanconservative.com/articles/new...
Norwegian Government in Crisis Over EU Energy Grab
Opponents regard the EU’s Clean Energy Package as an affront to democracy.
europeanconservative.com
November 2, 2023 at 10:14 PM
Reposted by EFTA4UK
WTO Trade Profiles 2023 now out. Features country by country data. Each two-page profile provides a breakdown of the economy’s major exports and imports in goods and services, and its main trading partners.

www.wto.org/english/news...
WTO issues new edition of Trade Profiles
The WTO issued today (31 October) the 2023 edition of Trade Profiles, an annual publication providing key data on merchandise trade and trade in commercial services for 197 economies. Each two-page pr...
www.wto.org
October 31, 2023 at 3:30 PM
🇬🇧 putting more effort into relations with EFTA ✅

www.gov.uk/government/n...
October 30, 2023 at 6:18 PM
Solid progress on 🇬🇧🇨🇭 FTA
Negotiations on an enhanced UK-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement:

www.gov.uk/government/n...
Negotiations on an enhanced UK-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement: Update October 2023
Update on the second round of negotiations for an enhanced UK-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement.
www.gov.uk
October 30, 2023 at 6:03 PM
Record exports of power from the Nordic region will be vital to keeping the lights on in Europe’s second-largest economy this winter.
🇳🇴🇬🇧
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
UK Relies on Nordic Power Lifeline to Keep Lights on This Winter
Record exports of power from the Nordic region will be vital to keeping the lights on in Europe’s second-largest economy this winter.
www.bloomberg.com
October 30, 2023 at 6:41 AM
Reposted by EFTA4UK
Old trade issues don't go away

"Better access to the large European market for beef, sugar and sheep meat is an imperative for Australia's large agricultural sector. For Brussels, an agreement would grant better access to Australia's vast reserves of strategic minerals"

H/T @anandmenon.bsky.social
Trade talks between Australia and EU collapse
‘Unfortunately, we have not been able to make progress,’ says Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell.
www.politico.eu
October 29, 2023 at 4:34 PM
Reposted by EFTA4UK
Switzerland is scrapping all import duties on industrial goods (all except agricultural goods and fish) from anywhere, from Jan 1, 2024. No need for rules of origin. Goods categories (tariff lines) simplified.

But agricultural goods? That's another story.

Other Swiss-EU issues: still need to talk
October 27, 2023 at 11:48 PM
Can’t help but think that economics are important here too - friendshoring in the high north

www.rusi.org/explore-our-...
The UK Contribution to Security in Northern Europe
The purpose of this Policy Brief is to explain why the UK has chosen to explicitly prioritise the security of Northern Europe following Russia’s war against Ukraine.
www.rusi.org
October 27, 2023 at 5:48 PM