How much is the Referendum Campaign influencing you?

[drew]

I mentioned this example a lifetime ago showing the benefits of independent nations making their own trade deals ... so yes lets have a look at that deal. First the economic downside of being in the EU.

Despite the beginning of the European recession in 2008 and ongoing questions about the financial health of the EU, which have also been warning lights for Beijing, the Xi Jinping government has called upon the EU to consider opening free trade agreement talks. President Xi won a promise of sorts, during his visit to Brussels in March of last year, that the EU would return to the question of an agreement in the near future, but since that time there has been little progress, as the EU has focused on a host of internal problems, with the slow-motion calamity of the Greek debt crisis at the top of the list. . . as well as widely different levels of enthusiasm among EU member economies for a free trade agreement with China

Switzerland, by contrast, in the tradition of its Sonderfall (exceptional case) politics and foreign policy, has sought to maximise the benefits of its agreement with China over the past two years. The agreement, in addition to removing bilateral tariffs and trade barriers on goods and services, also provides for intellectual property protection, which was a key demand from Switzerland since the start of the negotiations and a main reason why recent free trade talks between Switzerland and India have experienced delays. The deal was also accompanied by parallel agreements on employment and labour. Other provisions of the agreement include investment promotion, technical cooperation and environmental protection, and overall the deal has provided a platform for future bilateral economic cooperation, notably in the area of banking.

The trade volume between China and Switzerland has been growing rapidly over the past decade, with Swiss exports to China rising from CHF 2.5 billion to CHF 8.8 billion, (US$2.7 billion to US$9.4 billion), between 2003-13, and Chinese imports in Switzerland jumping from CHF 2.5 billion to CHF 11.4 billion (US$2.7 billion to US$12.2 billion) during the same time period.

According to a June 2014 report by Credit Suisse, China is expected to overtake Germany as Switzerland’s largest trading partner by 2035, based on current figures.

At the end of last year, President Xi announced that China would accelerate its free trade strategy and seek out new free trade agreement partners in the coming years.

http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2...switzerlands-free-trade-agreement-with-china/

If little old Switzerland can benefit this much think what the worlds Fifth biggest economy could achieve. If only we weren't limited to over reliance on poorly performing markets in Europe and could strike deals with fast growing markets all over the world who are keen to make deals.

Seems a great deal for the Swiss. Their balance of trade with China has gone from a balance to a deficit of CHF2.4 billion. I also understand the deal is very much weighted in favour of China with the Swiss having to remove tariffs almost immediately but the Chinese have upto 15 years to remove theirs!

 

[drew]

Corbyn says workers rights will be protected by the EU and the real threat is the Conservative government. That's the same Conservative government that is vigorously supporting his Remain stance. Something doesn't stack up.

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You might not have noticed but it isn't the whole of the Conservative government that are supporting Remain.

 

[drew]

Join the Euro then, since you said we can't cherry pick.

Is there a requirement that we join then?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Trade deals, trade deals, trade deals! What is it with this obsession about trade deals? Trade will carry on with or without trade deals. The world won't end without trade deals.
They are not the most important thing in the world!

What a strange post. The food on your plate comes here via a trade deal.

 

[8ace]

[tweet]738355285560045568[/tweet]

What a toby

 

[heathgate]

You might not have noticed but it isn't the whole of the Conservative government that are supporting Remain.

Oh dear... did I miss that little nuance?.....

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[GT49er]

What a strange post. The food on your plate comes here via a trade deal.

If you seriously think that without trade deals, there would suddenly be no food on the table, you have been seriously hoodwinked. Positively bananas, in fact (which, incidentally, can be bought very easily from supermarkets with or without a trade deal).

 

[Deleted member 22389]

I just knew it would go wrong somewhere.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/polit...e-integrity-as-EU-citizens-sent-polling-cards

 

[Thunder Bolt]

If you seriously think that without trade deals, there would suddenly be no food on the table, you have been seriously hoodwinked. Positively bananas, in fact (which, incidentally, can be bought very easily from supermarkets with or without a trade deal).

I didn't say there would suddenly be no food on the table, but the prices would rise immediately, until trade deals were in place.

 

[JC Footy Genius]

I didn't say there would suddenly be no food on the table, but the prices would rise immediately, until trade deals were in place.

Are you sure? My understanding was if we vote to leave nothing changes (all treaties/trade deals stand) until we have concluded exit negotiations which could take up to 2 years or even be extended if the European council and the UK agree. Which makes sense as it gives all sides time to plan for the post Brexit world.

http://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/the-mechanics-of-leaving-the-eu-explaining-article-50/

 

[Hampster Gull]

Trade deals, trade deals, trade deals! What is it with this obsession about trade deals? Trade will carry on with or without trade deals. The world won't end without trade deals.
They are not the most important thing in the world!

 

[drew]

Oh dear... did I miss that little nuance?.....

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Well like a lot of the Brexit arguments, it didn't serve your point well to mention it, so you didn't.

 

[JC Footy Genius]

Seems a great deal for the Swiss. Their balance of trade with China has gone from a balance to a deficit of CHF2.4 billion. I also understand the deal is very much weighted in favour of China with the Swiss having to remove tariffs almost immediately but the Chinese have upto 15 years to remove theirs!

It certainly does, being the first mainland European nation to strike a deal gives them the edge and a huge opportunity to exploit. Euro area GDP growth 1.5, China 6.7 ... just think we could have the same opportunity plus get a much better deal!

Economic madness to wait for the EU to get round to agreeing to start negotiations in 10, 20, 30 years if ever.

 

[JC Footy Genius]

Well like a lot of the Brexit arguments, it didn't serve your point well to mention it, so you didn't.

 

[drew]

It certainly does, being the first mainland European nation to strike a deal gives them the edge and a huge opportunity to exploit. Euro area GDP growth 1.5, China 6.7 ... just think we could have the same opportunity plus get a much better deal!

Economic madness to wait for the EU to get round to agreeing to start negotiations in 10, 20, 30 years if ever.

Are you saying a growing trade deficit is a good thing?

 

[5ways]

Are you saying a growing trade deficit is a good thing?

Brexiteer's ignore the fact that when conducting trade deals size matters. Switzerland has a trade deal but the terms are stacked in China's favour. If the EU conducted a trade deal with China it would be on an equal footing.

 

[portslade seagull]

Brexiteer's ignore the fact that when conducting trade deals size matters. Switzerland has a trade deal but the terms are stacked in China's favour. If the EU conducted a trade deal with China it would be on an equal footing.

So why haven't they if it's that easy

 

[5ways]

So why haven't they if it's that easy

It's not easy it's really bloody hard. These things, I think I read, take 7 years on average. Lots of details. It shouldn't be forgotten that one of the big damages from Brexit it is that renegotiating trade deals will take a long time, more than a decade. In that time the amount of lost trade and investment will be simply staggering.

 

[drew]

So why haven't they if it's that easy

Because it's not about just accepting what China wants which is pretty much what the Swiss did.

http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/countries/china/

 

[portslade seagull]

Because it's not about just accepting what China wants which is pretty much what the Swiss did.

http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/countries/china/

Small country small expectations. Whatever the outcome we would p!sy better hardball