The EEA is not the Single Market though- it wasn't designed to replicate what the EU Single Market does (and the EFTA states did not want the political & economic integration the Single Market requires).
The existence of trade borders between EFTA & the EU also proves the EEA is not the SM.
But it's not possible to rejoin the Single Market but stay out of the EU- have you never read TFEU, from Art.26?
I see Yougov still don't know how Europe functions.
To be in the Single Market and the Customs Union you have to be in the EU- it's there for all to see in TFEU, from Art.26...
Step 1 doesn't exist. Try again.
Swiss deal with EU is a poor fit for the UK and its economy.
On a personal level, you have to be careful when ordering stuff from the EU- customs charges- being in the EU removes that headache because of being in the Single Market which includes the common VAT area.
The Commission won't allow the UK to cherry-pick...ever.
So you never paid attention when Barnier, or any other EU member state leader, said that the EU will always protect the integrity of its Single Market?
Please get the basics right- Northern Ireland is neither in the EU CU nor in the SM- it left them along with the rest of the UK.
Certain EU SM rules apply in NI to allow the Irish border to function as before, hence the GB/NI border.
If you don't believee me then why not ask Steve Peers...?
Switzerland (and every other EFTA members) rae not in the Single Market- the Single Market exists between EU members only- just read TFEU from Art.26 to see why that is.
Spot on, Phil- anyone claiming the 2016 ref result is sacrosanct is profoundly undemocratic- the electorate of 23rd June 2016 ceased to exist once polls closed at 10pm that day, and any mandate from it was discharged the instant we left the EU at 11pm on 31st Jan 2020.
Please stop saying it might be possible to rejoin the EU CU & SM for goods but not the EU.
It's not- that's just cherry-picking & British exceptionalism.
The EU will never agree and will always do an eye-roll and point at TFEU Art.49.
I hope so! It's just a shame that Farage still has a significant portion of the electorate under his spell though.
The UK can only rejoin the Single Market when it rejoins the EU- there is no option of being in the Single Market but not in the EU.
I wonder what the collective noun is for cherry-pickers?
There is no quick & easy way back into the Single Market- the only process that does that is rejoining the EU.
Northern Ireland is currently neither in the Single Market, nor in the Customs Union- it left them along with the rest of the UK.
Certain EU laws still apply under the NI Protocol.
The backstop was a partial customs union + alignment, right? So still not in the SM &/or CU.
No, the EFTA/EEA option is not available to the UK- Norway said 'no' in 2019 & that position has not changed since.
Norway wouldn't even let San Marino join EFTA/EEA & passed the buck back to the EU to sort out that relationship.
We either stick with our crappy TCA, or ask to rejoin the EU.
It is not possible to join the Single Market by stealth.
You are just too stupid to understand why.
No-the EU will *never* grant a non-EU country a level of trade access that is closer than EFTA/EEA.
If you want to be in the SM & in the CU then you rejoin the EU- Article 26 onwards of TFEU tells you everything you need to know.
No-one with any credibility would ever claim that Switzerland is in any way, shape or form in the Single Market.
Has it signed up to TFEU? No. Then it's not in the Single Market.
Has it signed the EEA agreement? No. Then it's not even in the EEA.
They already know because they are quite aware that they have trade borders with the EU that slow down the flow of goods...you know, trade borders which don't exist for countries in the Single Market.
No, it's not possible, even as first step.
So I repeat- no non-EU country can be in the Single Market and/or Customs Union but not in the EU.
No non-EU country has this deal now nor can one ever it.
Oh Callum- I admire your optimism, but there is no option of rejoining the Single Market & Customs Union but saving the trickier bit of rejoining the EU for another day.
No non-EU country has that arrangement now, nor can one ever have it.
Single Market and Customs Union but not in the EU isn't even a real-world option- it's a fantasy for people that don't know the basics about how our continent functions.
The Single Market exists between EU members only- here's *the EU* explaining exactly this point.
Having 'access', like the EFTA 4, doesn't get you in the Single Market- it just gives you enhanced access into the EU compared to a FTA, but trade borders that slow trade remain in place.
'Single Market and Customs Union but not in the EU' isn't even a real-world option.
Please get the basics right.
The Single Market is set in TFEU, from Article 26.
You've clearly never read it and thus make the common error of conflating the Single Market with the EEA.
I am 100% correct- only EU members are in the Single Market.
You're going to be slightly disappointed then.
Single Market rejoin without rejoining the EU isn't even possible.
You can't make this up- the UK's biggest pro-EU group says no cherry picking, then suggests we can cherry pick being in the SM & CU but not the EU.
It's as if they have never bothered to read TFEU, Article 26 onwards...