paddyor wrote:Oldschool wrote:Peg Leg.
As you explain it, it sounds reasonably accurate except for the fact that you are suggesting that the EU were innocents in the process.
They weren't, however at this stage, it doesn't matter who is to blame.
It behoves both parties to do their best to ensure that the damage done is minimised.
Taking the hump isn't going to achieve anything and the EU needs to realise this.
A starting point for both parties for example might be to look at arrangements the EU has with countries like Switzerland.
The EU's relationship with Switzerland is the result of multiple rounds of multilateral trade deals over decades. I'd agree it would be good if they could develop a similar relationship but it would take years to do. And even then, the EU Swiss relationship is a bit soured at the moment and at risk of breaking down(over free movement of people), so you don't get the same stability as more formal structures. The Canadian deal might be a good blueprint but wouldn't give them the same
If they take a "we're going to teach them a lesson" approach there will be more than one loser and Ireland will be one of the big losers.
I see England and Ireland struggling to deal with the situation
I see the EU doing nothing. We'll only talk to you after you press the "go" button.
That's a negotiating tactic.
So is witholding when you are going to trigger art 50 and announcing plans to name and shame companies that employ foreigners (connected to how EU nationals in Britain are treated post Brexit & vice versa of course).
We should be asking, as one of the likely losers, is that really good enough?
The EU has to engage and has to be seen to engage..
This is a f
*cking terrible idea. If you want backdoor discussions then why not just dispense with the whole process and let Germany France and the UK go off and do a deal (as David Davis wants) that 2 years down the line anyone of the 27 can (and likely will) just reject. Much better to keep it formal and above board.
Using Switzerland or Canada or etc. So there is no need to spend many more years re-inventing the wheel.
Free movement of people is fine in theory and is simply a mantra the EU have adopted for god knows what reason.
There are obvious ways of dealing with this issue and the EU have chosen to simply stick with their mantra and ignore reason.
I've no idea why just like I've no idea why they decided bananas must be straight.
Negotiating tactics - I think we've already established that nobody seems to know what they are doing and that's not a criticism more an observation and it's not surprising.
My point is that nobody is being fooled by such obvious negotiating tactics so lads wise up and grow up or two years down the road we'll be none the wiser.
It's a divorce maybe they should hire some divorce lawyers or councilors to explain to them how to go about it - both (all) parties.
Ireland definitely does not want a messy divorce because we have most to lose. We could end up having to seriously consider our options if the EU and GB can't come up with an amicable resolution.
If the EU doesn't engage then what?
The EU is refusing to address the issue that provoked the problem - "Free movement of people".
As far as they are concerned it's a show stopper. They don't even know what it means because they haven't defined it and they haven't thought thru' the consequences. It's simply a mantra or a stick to beat somebody with when it suits them.
And it's a burning hot issue all over the EU, not just in GB so if they want the EU to start breaking up that's where it's going to come a cropper.
Austria building fences as one example should really be telling us all - THERE IS A PROBLEM.
OK they're racists, problem solved - NOT. Name calling is just that. (Not accusing you of name calling BTW - that's directed at the EU/GB/???)
There are many reasons why people are racist or maybe more importantly why they act on their racist tendencies and the EU is steering us towards that danger instead of away from it.