Future EU-UK relationship: UK draft texts and the level playing field

Future EU-UK relationship: UK draft texts and the level playing field

The government has published its draft legal texts to support its policy paper, The future relationship with the EU, which was published on 27 February 2020.

The EU stated its position on18 March 2020 in a draft agreement on the new partnership

The government is aiming for a Canada-style free trade agreement (FTA).

The UK’s proposal provides for zero tariffs and zero quotas on goods; however, this is not the position in any of the existing EU FTAs cited as comparators.  The proposal includes quite weak level playing field provisions, including on state aid.

This is in a marked contrast with the position of the EU which contemplates an overall governance framework on all areas of economic and security co-operation and where the Court of Justice of the EU would be the sole arbiter of EU law.  It foresees strong and enforceable level playing field commitments, including in the area of state aid.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/our-approach-to-the-future-relationship-with-the-eu