‘EU would collapse’ Britons ridicule trade war that could see bloc lose £250bn
Former Brexit Party MEP slams EU over Northern Ireland border
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The UK and EU remain in a post-Brexit row over the movement of goods and checks in Northern Ireland – sparking fears of a trade war. In the wake of the ongoing spat, a new report by Facts4EU.Org has revealed sales of EU goods to the UK reached £252.5billion in the 12 months to August.
It added EU purchases from Britain stood at £131.7billion, meaning the EU’s trade surplus – the difference between exports and imports – stood at £120.5billion.
Leading Tory Brexiteers have warned the EU would be unwise to engage in a trade dispute with the UK.
Many Express.co.uk readers agree and let their feelings known in the comments section of a previous story.
One online reader with the username Yankee Away wrote: “If both the US and UK were to retaliate one for one against EU trade protectionism the EU would collapse.”
SolarWind added: “Let’s face it, the EU are willing to scrap 80 percent of food checks in NI, anyone who gives up that much, reading between the lines, doesn’t hold all the cards, they know it, but more importantly, so do we.”
Minotaurus said: “This is what happens when you alienate an entire nation.
“It’s not about supranational governments striking deals and plastering over the cracks for no one to see, it’s about customers and that profit line, and the EU has behaved appallingly in many UK citizens’ eyes.”
Meanwhile, D Duck added: “BUY BRITISH” Or at least not EU. Boycott, all EU products. Cars, wines, cheeses etc. Do it NOW”
Data from the financial report also found one in seven international sales from the EU are to UK firms and the British public as a whole.
Reacting to the report, European Research Group vice chairman David Jones said: “If the Commission truly care about the interests of the EU businesses that ultimately pay their handsome wages, they will swiftly agree to sensible terms with the UK.
“Otherwise, they will be the losers.”
Backbench Tory MP Sir John Redwood warned the EU would be “unwise to start a trade war”.
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He added: “UK consumers will buy more local items, the more the EU threatens us.”
The UK and EU remain at loggerheads over the controversial Northern Ireland Protocol, which was created to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland.
The mechanism ties Belfast to the EU regulatory framework and Unionists argue this has effectively place a trade barrier down the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Last week, the EU put forward proposals to reduce the number of checks on 80 percent of goods in Northern Ireland that are deemed at risk of entering the single market.
But the proposals do not remove the oversight of the European Court of Justice – something called for by the UK in its Command Paper back in July.
Brexit Minister Lord Frost and European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic held talks in Brussels last Friday.
European Commission spokeswoman Arianna Podesta said a “very intense period of discussions” took place, but suggested the bloc would not go further than the package proposed by the EU.
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