We told you so!

[darmstadt]

A free trade agreement that is balanced, ambitious and wide-ranging. It cannot,
however, amount to participation in the Single Market or parts thereof, as this would
undermine its integrity and proper functioning. It must ensure a level playing field in terms of
competition and state aid, and must encompass safeguards against unfair competitive
advantages through, inter alia, fiscal, social and environmental dumping.

So basically just stay in the EU

[northernladyuk]

So basically just stay in the EU

But them Nigel has to sit next to Romanians on the train.

[tomtomagain]

So basically just stay in the EU

If Canada has a wide-ranging FTA with the EU does that mean it's in the EU?

[AtW]

If Canada has a wide-ranging FTA with the EU does that mean it's in the EU?

Free Trade Deal is the term politicians use to make trade deal sound better, free is good innit? In reality "free" trade deals got lots of limits, it's not a blanket one pager: let's have a free trade deal here!

Typically FTDs put limit as to what other deals the country can get into, sometimes being in one deal make the other impossible.

[squarepeg]

If Canada has a wide-ranging FTA with the EU does that mean it's in the EU?

You got me thinking... Since Canada and the United Kingdom share the same monarch... could not the UK pull a fast one and become bound by the EU/Canada FTA somehow? Say by becoming an e-province of Canada like Estonia offers e-residency? Or by turning Dover into a Canadian overseas territory like Gibraltar :-)

[SueEllen]

You got me thinking... Since Canada and the United Kingdom share the same monarch... could not the UK pull a fast one and become bound by the EU/Canada FTA somehow? Say by becoming an e-province of Canada like Estonia offers e-residency? Or by turning Dover into a Canadian overseas territory like Gibraltar :-)

I don't think Canadians would like that...

[squarepeg]

I don't think Canadians would like that...

They don't have to like it. The Queen has the powers to send their parliament packing :-)

Besides, desperate times call for desperate measures, no?

[darmstadt]

They don't have to like it. The Queen has the powers to send their parliament packing :-)

Besides, desperate times call for desperate measures, no?

Yeah, but they have powers to pull out of the Commonwealth and maybe the Francophones there might decide to become a French colony

[northernladyuk]

You got me thinking... Since Canada and the United Kingdom share the same monarch... could not the UK pull a fast one and become bound by the EU/Canada FTA somehow? Say by becoming an e-province of Canada like Estonia offers e-residency? Or by turning Dover into a Canadian overseas territory like Gibraltar :-)

See how we get on first with Jamaica.

[squarepeg]

Yeah, but they have powers to pull out of the Commonwealth and maybe the Francophones there might decide to become a French colony

You mean there could be a proxy war with the French? Some people can't wait for that. That pencil eraser in the shape of Napoleon's head they seel in the gift shop at the Buckingham Palace could use a new marketing push. Kids these days don't remember who won at Waterloo anymore. :-)