With the UK still by far the biggest world-wide consumer of French Champagne (the UK drinks well over 31 Million bottles annually), one has to ask the question "How would its producers react to Britain's exclusion from the EU's 'single market', if Brussels was to play silly buggers?".
International trade is reciprocal; you buy this from me, I'll buy that from you. This applies to cars and cheese, just as it does to Champagne, and if the European market was closed to a non-EU-member such as the UK, then presumably the UK markets would in turn be closed to them. Can you imagine the wrath of Champagne producers if Brussels caused their sales to be decimated. French shotguns and muck lorries would rightly storm the Elysée Palace.
The EU has too much to lose to make irrational decisions. The EU's economy is not the best, whereas the UK has the world's 5th strongest. If VW, Audi, Mercedes, Peugeot, Fiat, Porsche, Renault, Citroen, or even Ferrari no longer had access to the UK market, they wouldn't be too happy.
So, watch your step Junkers, and tell that Matron Merkel to keep her jealousy under control; she's been making some very dangerous pronouncements recently. Bad decisions have a nasty way of bouncing back on you. The UK can just as easily buy their Fizz from the USA or Oz, and in fact the UK herself produces some of the world's finest!
As for paying the EU's £52 Billion exit fee; I think this could be paid, but only after receiving an Access Fee of £55 Billion from the EU to trade with a non-EU Britain. What's good for the Goose....
Come on Mrs May; get your bloody iron-fisted negotiating act together, and make sure they understand what they'd be missing out on, should their exports be in any way blocked by an independent UK.
I'd love to see the smirk wiped off Juncker's face by Le Pen.
ReplyDeleteOr by anyone. He's not a pleasant man, and probably even more unpleasant to have to negotiate with.
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Delete*Sorry prodictive text on my phone keeps changing country to company for some unknown reason*
DeleteMy Polish friends that i work with dislike and are afraid of what he will do to make a point and their families (their children all born in the UK), will have to return to Poland or another EU country. They own a house here, what happens with that?
I think I can guarantee that there will be no forced repatriations. Personally I have no worries whatsoever.
DeleteWell how can you get out of the EU and keep all the avantages ? Comme disent les Français "on ne peut pas avoir le beurre et l'argent du beurre" , seems quite logicical to me.
ReplyDeleteBecause, Chloe, they will want to continue all the advantages of selling to the UK!
DeleteSorry, Cro. The way you put it is simplistic and as such won't stand scrutiny.
ReplyDeleteAm I correct surmising that Rachel is for Le Pen? If so, that is incredible. Politics is not some sort of board game where the worst loser may win - just to spare the winners a tantrum.
U
I am not for Le Pen. Get a sense of humour Bitch and stop being so self righteous.
DeleteUrsula, prognoses have to be simplistic as the minutiae of bargaining haven't yet begun. For the moment a 'wider view' is all we have.
DeleteNoses and Spite. It's all posturing at the moment. The thought of a Blair comback on the side of the EU fills me with disgust.
ReplyDeleteBlair is capable of anything. He possibly wants Junkers' job.
DeleteThe Champagne would still be bought by Brits, but it would be a bloody good excuse to hike the price up even further. Can you imagine us Brits settling for U.S. champagne? When America still smoked, even the threat of imprisonment for being found with a Cuban cigar did stop people for buying them on the black market.
ReplyDeleteIf the EU makes a nuisance of them selves, the UK could do whatever they like. If the EU market was closed to the UK, do you honestly think the UK's market would stay open to them? Not bloody likely.
DeleteBlack markets thrive in situations like this. No tax for a start. Look at the last 300 years of Scottish history in the area of French alcohol imports.
DeleteEU "controlleurs" don't know what they're doing half the time. They made sanctions against Russia that backfired on themselves. Russia refused to take EU's apples etc. while Russian barges loaded with pig iron steamed up the Danube in the direction of Deutschland from the Black Sea.
ReplyDeleteThere's always a back door in the EU. They'll likely send their fizz through Eire or Scotland.
DeleteI understand that China is the largest purchaser of French Champagne and followed closely by Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteChina and Nigeria aren't even in the top 10. The UK is still No 1.
DeleteI wish I could be as confident as those EITHER side of this argument. I don't think anyone really knows how this will span out, but I fear the repercussions won't just be about trade.
ReplyDeleteI would like to think we'll carry on much as before, but without the political interference. But, who knows!
DeleteThe world it is changing and not in the best direction. No one should be denied their alcohol during these difficult times.
ReplyDeleteMy vineyard (where I mostly go) was struck by our recent frosts. He reckons he's lost half this year's crop.
DeleteWhat worries me more than champers is the EU Army idea. Well, it's more than an idea. After Brexit there'll be nobody to put the 'brake on it' according to a German MEP.
ReplyDeleteThe stupidity of an EU Army project is brilliantly told in a novel about WW1, when there was a very similar army largely composed of German, Austrians, Czechs, Poles, Hungarians, and others. It's called 'The Good Soldier Svjec.' Think Dad's Army but even more chaotic!
God forbid, but which country do you see calling the shots?
DeleteHaving been on the losing side of two world wars, it would have to be Germany; closely supported by France.
DeleteThe 25 others like good little soldiers will simply obey their orders. I don't think so.
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