The EP recommends the UK continue to belong to the internal market and the customs union
The European Parliament voted a resolution recommending that, after the Brexit, the best solution for the United Kingdom and the EU 27, is that the UK continues to belong to the internal market and the customs union. "This is the only solution that can guarantee we continue to have commercial exchanges without any friction and that fully preserves the benefits of our economic relations."
The resolution, which was approved last week, indicates that the future relationship could be articulated around four pillars: trade and economic relations, internal security, cooperation in foreign policy and defense, and areas of specific cooperation.
According to the provisional edition of the approved text of the framework of trade and economic relations, (section i, paragraph 10), the EP states that "the customs union eliminates tariff barriers and some customs controls, but requires compliance with the Union's commercial policy and a common external border." However, it also mentions that "the United Kingdom continues to discard both the internal market and the customs union."
The EP emphasizes that "the future agreement between the EU and the UK should safeguard the framework of existing trade relations between the Union and third countries and avoid all parasitism, ensuring consistency in the maintenance of an adjusted tariff and quota system, and rules of origin for the products, regarding third countries."
In point 19 of the resolution, the Parliament states that "the UK's current position and its red lines would lead to customs controls and verifications that would affect global supply chains and production processes, but that could avoid tariff barriers."
Regarding agricultural and food products, the MEPs reiterated that "access to the Union market is conditional on strict compliance with all Union rules and legislation, in particular in the areas of food safety, GMOs, pesticides, geographical indications, animal welfare, labeling and traceability, sanitary and phytosanitary norms, and human, animal and plant health."
This resolution was approved by the Plenary of the EP last Wednesday, a week before the Council, constituted by the heads of Government, approve on March 22 and 23, according to the planned agenda, their guidelines for the negotiations on the future relations with London.
According to Fepex, the Brexit continues to be one of the main sources of uncertainty for the fruit and vegetable sector, given that the UK market is the third destination for Spanish exports and there's still much uncertainty about the future commercial framework.
Source: fepex.es