Why would the Schengen Agreement apply to a country which is not in the EU, (or EFTA)? That's nonsensical.
Yes, but weren't you the one claiming that if the U.K. were to leave the EU it would be
forced to sign up to the EFTA in order to continue trading with EU countries?
Sorry but your memory is mistaken. I said that joining EFTA was one option (and the only sensible option IMO) in the event of Brexit.
There are other options, such as you suggested i.e. trying to go solo in the global market place, try to agree some other type of agreement with EU (which I think will not be probable, but not impossible, due to EU fearing contagion.), etc.
So there was never any suggestion of UK being forced into any situation, other then simple market pressure.
So your assertion is completely false.
And if UK were considering re-joining the EU (or EFTA) after some time of being outside, you can bet your bottom dollar, that a) it would be a condition that would be insisted on by EU, and b) it would be a condition that UK would have to accept otherwise why would they be re-joining. Because of economic ruin, obviously.
Or because having escaped from the EU some more clowns who get into Westminster decide that as a matter of principle the U.K. should be in the EU and apply to re-join.
If the U.K. gets out, then I hope sincerely that it never even contemplates rejoining, as that would be a recipe for the end of the U.K. as we've all known it (although it's already well down that road).
Unless UK economy slides to an unacceptable level and we are faced with a Greece style desperate gamble. In such a scenario our bargaining position would be so weak, we'd probably end up accepting any and every condition EU placed, e.g, Schengen, Euro, etc.
The alternatives to EU membership are unsatisfactory: they either give Britain less control over regulation than it currently enjoys, or they offer more control but less market access.
In brief: UK-EU economic relations - Parliament.pdf
You keep repeating the same mistaken ideas.
Export to UK would continue. The only impediment being any import tariffs applied by UK, which would be counter-productive. (we've dealt with this repeatedly, consistently and in some depth)
Whereas exports to EU would be at the whim of EU. EU legislation would have to be complied with, no ifs, buts, or maybes! We've dealt with this repeatedly, consistently and in depth!
And if EU countries wanted to continue to export to the U.K., then they would have to comply with the applicable U.K. legislation, in the same way that at the moment they have to comply with applicable American legislation to export to the U.S., appropriate Canadian legislation to export to Canada, and so on.
Do you not think there is a certain "checks and balances" system there, in that if the EU is so desperately wanting to continue exports to the U.K. it might not be a good idea to impose anything too drastic on U.K. imports for fear of the U.K. government retaliating with, for example, extremely high import duties?
You don't seem to be aware of the inequality in level of checks and balances that you refer to:
Since its formation in 1993, the European Union1 (EU) has become larger than any individual economy in the world, with its GDP...
..the EU remained both a major investor in the UK and a major recipient of UK investment; in 2013, 43.2% of UK overseas assets were held in the EU, whereas 46.4% of assets held in the UK by overseas residents and businesses were attributable to the EU.
The EU, taken as a whole, is the UK’s major trading partner, accounting for 45% of exports and 53% of imports of goods and services in 2014 (Considering imports and exports that's a total of 88% of our trade is with EU)
Both the Conservative – Lib Dem Coalition government and the previous Labour government stated that over three million jobs are linked, directly or indirectly, to exports to the EU.
The EU is a major source of inward investment into the UK. In 2014, EU countries accounted for £496 billion of the stock of inward Foreign Direct Investment, 48% of the total. A 2015 survey by EY found that the UK attracted more FDI projects than any other European country in 2014.
The EU as a bloc is by far the UK’s largest trading partner.
Business is clear that any Single Market needs commonly agreed rules, to allow full access to the market on equal terms. Removing non-tariff and regulatory barriers between member states is one of the most important features of the European Single Market, and the UK’s ability to influence and improve these rules increases the ability of British firms to compete. Competitive and respected EU rules can also open up new markets to UK firms without having to duplicate standards as other regions often design their own rules around EU benchmarks. Despite frustrations, over half of CBI member companies (52%) say that they have directly benefitted from the introduction of common standards, with only 15% suggesting this had had a negative impact.
http://webarchive.nationalarchives....union-to-uk-trade-and-investment-/sty-eu.html
So how important would exporting to the UK be to the EU economy after Brexit? EU exports to the UK would represent about 3 percent of EU GDP; not negligible by any means, but equally perhaps not as dramatic as one might think. The EU, and even more so the UK, would certainly have a strong incentive to negotiate a sensible trading arrangement post-Brexit. But no-one should imagine the UK holds all the cards.
http://www.niesr.ac.uk/blog/after-brexit-how-important-would-uk-trade-be-eu#.VtLLXJyLTIU
In summary, UK exports 45% of our goods and services to EU, whereas EU exports about 3% of its goods and services to UK.
USA is EU's major trading partner at about 15%, then China at about 8%.
You do the maths, and suggest who would be in the stronger bargaining position, or whether it would be a level playing field.