‘We must follow EU rules’ Vicky Pryce warns UK still shackled to bloc despite Boris pledge
Brexit: Vicky Pryce warns ‘we have to follow EU regulations’
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Economist Vicky Pryce discussed data from ONS which showed that the UK’s trade of goods with European Union countries has lowered since Brexit by 11-15 percent. The UK has placed a bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) since leaving the bloc in a bid to strengthen its global trade ties. But Ms Pryce warned that the UK will need to still follow EU trade regulations, warning that if we do not stick to the rules then the whole Brexit agreement will become void.
Asked whether EU rules needed to be scrapped or changed, Ms Pryce told TRT World: “Some probably do because they might be quite outdated.
“But in reality, as we know, if we want to continue to trade with the EU and if we want to continue to have the agreement that we signed.
“Still being accepted by the EU if we part too much from what we’ve agreed then that whole agreement could be void.
“Then we have to follow quite a lot of EU regulations whether we like it or not.
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Ms Pryce added: “And I think that’s what’s going on right now, it’s one of the reasons why nothing very much has happened.
“What is also going on in terms of regulations is that all those regulations in terms of importing and exporting have added to all the cost of businesses that we’re facing anyway.
“And that’s a real problem and what happens here is the Office of National Statistics checks the extent to what the additional paperwork, additional checks and so on.
“And whether any of those are related to Covid, are they related to Brexit, and the Brexit increase very significantly since we left properly at the beginning of 2021. “
“The ones for Covid have decreased quite significantly.”
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In addition to the pressure the UK has been facing to maintain its trading links with Brussels, the UK has also been facing challenges to its importing and exporting standards.
Brexit Britain’s recent deal with Australia sparked concerns among the farming community over hormone usage in cattle.
Shadow International Trade Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said: “Considering dropping animal welfare and food standards and allowing hormone-treated beef into UK markets.”
“The Secretary of State recently stated that our standards are non-negotiable.
“The Government should be standing up for UK interests in the accession process to CPTPP.”
A Government spokesperson said: “We have always been clear maintaining our high standards is a red line in all our trade negotiations.
“The UK will not be forced to lower our food, animal welfare, or environmental standards when acceding to CPTPP, and there is absolutely nothing in the agreement which will require us to do so.”
The Chair of the Nature-Friendly Farming Network campaign group, Martin Lines, said: “The pressure to accept low-environmental and low-animal welfare standards will increase as Britain dials up its efforts to strike new trade deals around the world.
However, he added that it was “more important than ever before that the UK delivers on its climate and environment commitments and stands firm against this international pressure.”
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