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  4. EU triggers legal action over Internal Market Bill, threatening chances of a trade deal
News

EU triggers legal action over Internal Market Bill, threatening chances of a trade deal

Laura Savage|October 01, 2020

The European Commission has sent a 'letter of formal notice' to the UK, triggering legal action over the Internal Market Bill.


The letter focuses on the breach of "good faith" articles in the Withdrawal Agreement and states that if Internal Market Bill becomes law it would be further breach of EU and international law.

What's the Internal Markets Bill all about?

You can see what Best for Britain had to say about it here. And what US Presidential candidate Joe Biden said here.

In short, the Bill seeks to address the process for moving goods across the UK's internal borders to ensure that goods can flow between Scotland, England and Wales with no trouble. The problem comes when the rules address Northern Ireland, where the UK has its only land-border with an EU country and where the peace brought by the Good Friday Agreement relies on there being an invisible border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The arrangements in the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, an international treaty signed between the UK and EU, for the Northern Ireland border were agreed by Boris Johnson last year and voted through by MPs. This new Bill gives UK Ministers permission to break international law by ignoring parts of the Withdrawal Agreement treaty.

Commenting, Best for Britain CEO Naomi Smith said:

"The Government's ill-thought through Internal Market Bill has already embarrassed Britain on the international stage, but now it's clear that it threatens to blow up the chances of a trade deal too.

"For all the positive noises coming out of talks in recent weeks, UK negotiators will be understandably frustrated that this Bill could derail everything.

"That will have severe consequences for our economic recovery, and could see countless businesses who are already on the brink plunged into the red."

Speak out by contacting your MP

Use Best for Britain's simple online tool to send a message to your MP. Let them know you think Britain should keep to its promises on the international stage. Let them know we need a proper trade deal with Europe.

Send a message now

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We are the researchers, data scientists, strategists, and activists, fixing the problems Britain faces after Brexit. We conduct polling to help politicians lead debate, not follow it. We design policy for whoever is in government, today or tomorrow. And we give voters the tools to speak to, and persuade, those in power. We believe that when we change minds we change politics for the better. And that all of this is Best for Britain.

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