Europeans thank Tory Britain

[Gerrydelasel]

In this time of economic and social unrest,

Odd thing to say. Which time do they mean, exactly?

The Nobel Committee also believes that

The important word there is 'believes'.

So the EU has promoted democracy & peace throughout Europe.

I don't think that is in any dispute. But what no one can know is what would have happened if the EU had taken different directions and made different choices, or if it had not existed at all.

It does seem very peculiar to give a peace prize to a 'thing' and not to people!

 

[JohnD]

all it requires is for country leaders to say 'yes' to free trade

How sad that countries have pretty universally found themselves unable to do it.

"America First"
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-...bout-american-steel-come-deceptive-fine-print

https://mises.org/library/ronald-reagan-protectionist

"Buy British"

http://australiafirstparty.net/

OPEC


There is no trading treaty in the world which is as open as the European Single Market.

Alas the Quitters are determined to cast aside Britain's access.

You can't expect free access to a rules-based market unless you agree to follow the rules. The EU is certainly not alone in that.

 

[Gerrydelasel]

How sad that countries have pretty universally found themselves unable to do it.

Very true. The internet and mass transport shipping have finally made it a likely inevitability, and is making much of the EUs raison detre obsolete.

You can't expect free access to a rules-based market unless you agree to follow the rules. The EU is certainly not alone in that.

Also very true. And it is difficult to justify why that should require 'membership', and why it should be so expensive. In theory it should be as simple as a country saying "we want to free trade with you. Give us a copy of your rules and we will do likewise." The EU is as resistant to this as any old demagogue.

 

[JohnD]

In theory it should be as simple as a country saying "we want to free trade with you. Give us a copy of your rules and we will do likewise." The EU is as resistant to this as any old demagogue.

I'd be interested to see your examples of nations trading freely between each other to the same extent that it is done within the Single Market.

I won't hold my breath.

 

[JohnD]

Very true. The internet and mass transport shipping have finally made it a likely inevitability, and is making much of the EUs raison detre obsolete.

Nonsense. Air mail has been available for a century. Cargo ships and freight trains for far longer.

 

[Gerrydelasel]

Nonsense. Air mail has been available for a century. Cargo ships and freight trains for far longer.

And trade increased porportionately with them. But they were nothing like the scale and speed made possible in the last decade.

 

[JohnD]

the means of delivery has no relation to the freedom of trade, or to tariff- or non-tariff barriers.

 

[Brigadier]

the means of delivery has no relation to the freedom of trade, or to tariff- or non-tariff barriers.

Practically, it does.

 

[JohnD]

I'm interested in your suggestion that no customs duty is charged on imports from outside the EU, and that you can sell into India and Russia without any tariff being applied, and no need to attach a customs declaration.

When was this announced?

 

[Brigadier]

I made no such suggestion: I was following your assertion to Gerry's point about trade increasing proportionally to ease / cheapness of mass transport.

 

[JohnD]

Practically, it does.

So you say that good delivery systems DO have some "relation to the freedom of trade, or to tariff- or non-tariff barriers."

But not to the extent that they can bring about free trade, or actually remove barriers, as Gerry claimed, making a single market unnecessary.

So what DO you mean?

 

[noseall]

all it requires is for country leaders to say 'yes' to free trade

Who do you think will be the first country to do that Ges?

 

[Brigadier]

the means of delivery has no relation to the freedom of trade, or to tariff- or non-tariff barriers.

This.

The factory in China that made my replacement air con remote could not have sold it to me at an attractive price before mass transit: now, £15.
Freedom of trade existed, but was not practical. It is now.

 

[JohnD]

So....

the means of delivery has no relation to the freedom of trade, or to tariff- or non-tariff barriers.

You're not talking about free trade. You're talking about cheap delivery.

 

[Brigadier]

So....



You're not talking about free trade. You're talking about cheap delivery.

Freedom of trade. Your words.