EU
Brexit: What the Norway model?
After the Brexit vote, the UK needs to regulate its trade relations with the EU. In this debate it is often called the example of Norway. Dana Regev of the advantages and disadvantages.
Norway is a member of the European economic area, EEA, but not a member of the European Union. This means that Norway must adhere to-such as Iceland and Liechtenstein, the rules of the internal market of the EU, without being able to determine for yourself.
The Norwegian exports are subject to customs controls, because Norway is not a member of the European customs Union, the members, apart from the EU-member States Andorra, Monaco and San Marino.
The membership in the customs Union means that Goods within the region, no customs duties are levied, and that all member States impose a common import tariff for Goods from third countries.
Norway must also pay annual contributions for the EEA-membership. According to information from the Norwegian government and the Norwegian mission to the EU Per head corresponds to the contribution of the Norwegians about the Per capita contribution of the UK to the EU.
Norway also provides aid to poorer EU member States, which are negotiated from time to time, and also pays in a number of EU Schemes, in which it seeks to participate, for example, the Erasmus programme for the exchange of students.
Oslo airport, Norway is part of the border-free Schengen area
Without influence on the EU legislation
You can then ask why Norway is the EU accession. In fact, many Norwegians do not ask whether a candidate for your country would be better, since it already provides similar financial contributions.
A report for the British government in March turned out to be one of the most important issues for a possible use of the Norway model for Britain: “If the British government negotiated this model, we would be bound by many EU rules but would have no voting rights and no right to appeal in the development of these rules.” This would not be the result of the British referendum. Norway is Not an EU member, no voting rights in EU legislation. The Norwegian Prime Minister attends the European Council of heads of state and heads of government; Norway is not in the European Council of Ministers; and it sends no members to the European Parliament.
“Norway is not represented with a member in the European Commission, with a judge at the European court of justice, and its citizens are not allowed to participate in European elections or in the European institutions work”, the report for the British government. So where do the benefits lie?
There is no rule without exception
However, there may be light at the end of the tunnel, even for leaving the EU advocates. Chapter four of the European economic area member States are allowed to take in the event of serious economic, societal or environmental problems unilaterally take appropriate measures to resolve the situation.
This means that the United Kingdom adopt such measures, and an emergency might exclaim, as did Iceland in 2008 during the Icelandic financial crisis.
As Norway States, is millions of euros in joint programmes with the EU, could determine the United Kingdom is still in the fields of the cooperation and, for example, British Working and Studying in the EU, if it wants to. Also, some financial institutions could operate in the EU, which would certainly provide you with many worried Brexit supporters as well as opponents for relief.
Protection against the disadvantages of the EU, at the same time enjoy the benefits.
“New contracts takes years to negotiate”
However, the British government report betonnt also that the Norway model, the UK would gain a significant, but not full access to the single market.
“The UK would be outside the European customs Union, and we would lose access to all EU trade agreements with 53 markets worldwide,” it says, and the report adds: “This re-negotiation would take years.”
Switzerland, for example, has closed 120 different agreements with the EU; it would be highly complicated to create such a model. In the report it is stated: “It has taken many years, of this network, to negotiate the bilateral agreements between Switzerland and the EU.” And there is no reason for the assumption that it would go with the United Kingdom faster.
Switzerland is not the only country with a complicated relationship with the EU. In contrast to Norway, Turkey is a member of the European customs Union.
The arrangements between Turkey and the EU covers industrial goods and processed agricultural products, so that they are not, customs controls are necessary.
However, agricultural commodities, or services do not fall under the regulations, and in areas where Turkey has access to the EU internal market, it must enforce even the rules that apply within the EU.
Can you have both?
Even if many of the Norway model appears as a good compromise, for a lot of Brexit advocates many disadvantages, mainly that should be the free movement of persons. Norway had to accept this point and has decided to be a part of the border-free Schengen area.
After a series of racist Attacks in the UK, which are associated with the Brexit vote in connection, it seems that some people in this part of the Norway model, it should be enforced, it would interfere.
And even if the UK were to take the EEA-agreement mentioned emergency measures, it would be unclear how long it might apply, and how long other member States the UK would allow the advantages of both systems pick.