The UK and the EU: Are there Alternatives to EU Membership?

In the on-going debate about British membership of the EU, various suggestions are made as to what trade and economic alternatives there are. Regent’s University and the Senior European Experts decided that it would be useful to discuss the most commonly suggested alternatives as the debate continues about British membership. In any referendum it would be essential that those campaigning for Britain to leave the EU set out the alternative trading and other arrangements they would favour so that the debate and the vote can be meaningful.

Opponents of UK membership have focused on the economic and trade issues relating to the UK and the EU without examining the other aspects of the UK’s relationship with the EU. Similarly, this paper does not address these other issues, but whilst economic and trade questions are at the core of the UK’s relationship with the EU, there are other very important aspects. These include the UK’s influence in the world and EU policies in fields including justice and home affairs, the environment, development, agriculture and fisheries and foreign policy.

The alternatives to EU membership that have been suggested include: joining the European Economic Area (EEA); joining the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada, Mexico and the USA; or creating a new free trade area with other Commonwealth countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India and South Africa. An alternative suggestion is that the UK should not participate in any of these organisations but rely on membership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and its most favoured nation treatment to ensure access to global markets including that of the EU. Proponents of these ideas suggest that these potential alternatives are readily available and would afford the UK economic and political benefits at least as good as EU membership.

• Primary Source

Senior European Experts https://senioreuropeanexperts.org/

ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

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