Should the UK Pursue Dynamic Alignment with the EU?

Summary:

The UK already de facto applies dynamic alignment with the EU, both for goods in Northern Ireland and for the UK as a whole in certain areas where the UK lacks the market size to impose its own regulation. The question then is not whether the UK should follow EU rules, but rather the extent to which it should do so and whether it makes sense to formally commit to doing so in return for increased market access. The EEA, Switzerland, and Ukraine all have different models that show how this can be done. The EEA and the model currently being negotiated by Switzerland offer more immediate benefits, but would also require more commitment. The Ukraine model also comes with a commitment to approximate EU rules, but it allows for more flexibility in implementation and might be more suitable for UK needs. For the UK, the imperative is to decide both where to align and how far to commit if it is to be a credible partner for the EU.

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ESO Records

CER Insight: July 2024: An Open Letter to Keir Starmer: Ten Suggestions on How to Foster Better Relations with Europe https://www.europeansources.info/record/an-open-letter-to-keir-starmer-ten-suggestions-on-how-to-foster-better-relations-with-europe/

CER Insight: July 2024: EU-UK Relations: Towards a Post-Election Agenda https://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-uk-relations-towards-a-post-election-agenda/

CER Insight: May 2024: Delivering the Goods: An EU Trade Agenda for the Next UK Government https://www.europeansources.info/record/delivering-the-goods-an-eu-trade-agenda-for-the-next-uk-government/

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