Could the UK join the EEA?
 

Given the new reset in EU/UK relations agreed (at least in principle) today, what are the chances of the UK joining or being able to join the EEA at some time in the near future?
That would overcome any reinvestment issues when and if UK, British PT residents and PT property owners, decide to sell up in PT and return to UK.

Re: Could the UK join the EEA?
 

Maybe in another 15 years, imo

🤔

Re: Could the UK join the EEA?
 

Second above post, maybe in 15y.
UK could apply to join EEA, but wont. Too soon.
New "reset" is so microscopic, hardly worth mention.

Re: Could the UK join the EEA?
 

Membership of EEA involves freedom of movement for goods, services, capital and people - the latter is currently seen as a complete no-no in some quarters.

:confused:

It's a welcome step in the right direction, and will be of benefit to SMEs and consumers on both sides to varying degrees.

Re: Could the UK join the EEA?
 

Couple of questions for you :

What do you think of Reform 2025 Ltd's outlook for the next GE and beyond? Are they a fixture in Westminster now or a flash in the pan?

What do you think will be the stance of the soon-to-be elected new Tory leader? Will they be firmly repentant of the Brexit escapade and champion a fresh start and an ever-closer relationship to the EU, or trenchantly defendant of Brexit's already-won triumphs and the panoply of opportunities it offers Global Britain in the future?

And what of Labour? Have they done enough yet to take the next election by storm and if so, on what platform? An openly warm embrace to the EU, with a promise to instigate proceedings to determine whether the public endorses a return to a deeper involvement with all of its institutions, an acceptance of a myriad of rules made elsewhere, and arbitration on whether they are being adhered to, or will they remain as reticent as possible about uttering any pronouncement which might be construed as not very Brexity?

Re: Could the UK join the EEA?
 

I think the fact that they now have a few councils to run might well be their downfall, they have so many 'policies' they want to bring in like what flags to fly, etc that they will fail, miserably, and it will show up the lack of cohesion and, in reality, the lack of real leadership who are not just after improving their own finances. The fact they are a private business and not a political party will also come to haunt them as their 'members' suddenly find that they have NO SAY in what they do.

Re: Could the UK join the EEA?
 

Ooooh you..... telling the truth again!

Fear not, the bould Sir Farage of Brexiting will lead them just as he led his merry disruptors in the EU Parliament and then ducked out when the referendum played in his favout. Mind you, now, as then, he'll keep prodding away at things he knows can't be delivered. That's what populist conmen do.

Re: Could the UK join the EEA?
 

I would have thought that the Tories will leave leader as is for the time being. They are a busted flush at the mo., with Socialistas blaming them for everything, may as well let her take the flack for at least another year. Surely they wont still be blamed at every opportunity by then.
Still enough people to re elect Sociailstas at the moment, but if they keep on doing what they are doing they have no chance.
Reform IMO will gain a few more seats (say 45) but depends on how Farage handles the party.
Must admit to not caring nowadays, too old to be concerned for the longer term.
But would be happy if UK joined EFTA/EEA just on a selfish basis, seems to me might as well be in, as this `Youth` experience scheme for 18-30 year olds is probably the age of all of the EU migrants that went to UK in early 2000s.
I guess Socialistas will keep banging on about how good the EU is and how its so good for the UK, until they go for another referendum on the subject, in around 30 months..

Re: Could the UK join the EEA?
 

Make it 30 years rather than 30 months and I might be persuaded of a glimmer of a possibility.

As far as I can see, the conditions simply don't exist currently. There would need to be solid and sustained public opinion on the matter of Single Market membership, with all that entails, and an equally solid majority of elected representatives openly endorsing the idea.

What we've currently got is one of the 2 main parties completely hostile to the EU to the point where they're threatening to reverse any agreements signed with it by the other, and the other main party (far from banging on about how good the EU is and would be for the UK) absolutely and explicitly ruling out making any moves towards integration on any front - and that's if they can break the self-imposed omerta on speaking about the subject in general at all. On top of which the party currently polling the highest is the most Brexity of the lot. And then there's public opinion which is very gradually notching up on the Brexit-wasn't-the-best-choice front but not on the let's-have-another-referendum-on-the-matter-soon one. There might be a Rejoin movement or two lurking somewhere but if so, they're quite shy and retiring and there doesn't seem to be a go-to spokesperson doing the rounds of press conferences and panels etc at every opportunity.

Not exactly an auspicious atmosphere right at the moment for generating an unstoppable tsunami of fervent pro EU sentiment.

I also don't know why anybody would accept EEA membership as opposed to the full-on EU. One of the hardest sells would be free movement of people, which are obligatory in either case. And how does that look at the moment, with each release of the migration stats an excuse for another attack of the vapours? Even if nett migration were to get to a point where it didn't appear to bother people any more, what would be the reaction then to "I know - let's give FoM of people another go"?

Re: Could the UK join the EEA?
 

It's important to remember that Brexit mostly appeals to a dying demographic who are being replaced by young people who are mostly pro-EU. Poll after poll shows that most people think Brexit was a huge mistake and nobody with any credibility can claim that Brexit has been a success. It has failed miserably and expensively and Brexiters have failed to come up with the goods 9 years on from the wretched vote.

A 52/48 result was not a mandate for the hard Brexit the UK ended up with. A far more sensible approach would have been to negotiate a Norway type deal that was offered to the UK during the negotiations but the tory loons like Johnson and Frost turned it down flat and wanted a complete break from absolutely everything. That is one of the many, many reasons why Brexit has been such a monumental failure.

If the UK had any sense (which is doubtful) they would make the case for rejoining the single market and having a Norway type deal. It would be easier to sell to the electorate and much quicker than fully rejoining the EU. A Norway deal would still take several years with difficult negotiations but it's doable.

The Brexit high water mark has long since passed and hopefully it will die a death over the coming years.

Re: Could the UK join the EEA?
 

Given Starmers hope to be part of the EU, and knowing that full membership would now mean exchanging £ for €, and subsequent loss of Financial Market income (desperately wanted by the EU), membership of EEA, like Norway, would be about as close as they could get during the remaining 4 years (pretty certain Sociaistas will not be back in power for another decade or so, at least).
In a year or so they will ( after the Youth invasion is in place) be able to say, that EEA membership would be a good idea,
They would then have 2 years to get it done.
Clearly they must know they will not be re-elected (regardless of any U turn on WInter Fuel) and so, accepting that and given their huge majority could force EEA membership through (if the other EEA countries accept the UK,
But I agree with you regarding change of demographics, especially important for Socialistas who only get in power after other parties mess up. so almost a generation in between their election

Re: Could the UK join the EEA?
 

They haven't got a mandate to force anything through with regard to integration with the single market. Their manifesto not only explicity pledged to keep the UK outside of the EU but also that there would be no return to the single market, the customs union or freedom of movement.

A lot of people - possibly including you? - might argue that politicians break their pledges all the time and this would be no different. I disagree that such explicit key pledges are broken or that there could be any justification whatsoever for doing so in this case. Besides which, nobody on the other side could possibly be persuaded that it would be a sustainable move.

Complete non-starter in this government's term and will continue to be until there's a good deal wider political support and a government elected on a manifesto pledge to re-open the debate.

Re: Could the UK join the EEA?
 

What we need is a well coordinated publicity drive (they work, you can sell anything like that) at people of my generation to wrest back their God Given right of freedom to smoke, and not to continue to be stopped from doing so by foreign agents from 'over there'.
That will speed up the required demographic changes.
Especially in my homeland (7 mile from 'Clackers' AKA Farage on sea). I have an American friend visiting - he is telling everyone he is Canadian, I know how he feels