SHOCK EU 2019 REPORT: ‘UK benefits least from Single Market’

UK comes bottom in EU’s list for benefiting from the Single Market

Brexit Facts4EU.Org exclusive analysis, plus trade comments by Owen Paterson MP

            

Chart: © Brexit Facts4EU.Org (clickable version is below)

Goods exports to the Single Market represent only 8% of UK GDP, says EU Commission

The latest official EU Commission Single Market report of 2019, released yesterday, shows that the UK benefits LEAST out of the 28 member states when it comes to the EU’s ‘Single Market’ for goods.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org has analysed the figures contained in “the Single Market Scoreboard” and we present a summary which we believe should be required reading for all Remain MPs.

“The UK has the lowest trade integration in the Single Market for goods
and the third lowest trade integration for services.”

- EU Commission, Single Market Scoreboard, 2019 Edition

“Trade integration” refers to the percentage of a country's GDP that is accounted for by trade with other EU countries (imports and exports). It is the EU's fundamental measure of how well a country does from its Single Market membership.

Brexit Facts4EU.org Summary

How the UK perfoms overall in the Single Market – EU’s figures

  • UK benefits least out of the EU28 when it comes to membership of the Single Market
  • This is the conclusion of the EU’s 2019 Single Market Scoreboard
  • Every other EU country does better out of the Single Market compared to the UK

The EU’s Single Market Scoreboard combines import and export figures within the Single Market to show the overall involvement of each country. The UK comes last out of 28 countries.

© Brexit Facts4EU.Org - Click to enlarge

The above chart includes exports AND imports. Next we look at how the UK performs in exporting goods and services to the Single Market - which is where the UK earns money.

  • Only 8% of UK GDP relates to UK goods exported to the Single Market
  • The UK is only beaten into last place by tiny Cyprus
  • Only 5.6% of UK GDP relates to UK services exported to the Single Market
  • For services, the UK is third from bottom, despite having the largest services economy in the EU

© Brexit Facts4EU.Org - Click to enlarge

The chart above shows how much each country’s economy benefits from exporting goods to the EU’s Single Market. It is the trade in exporting goods which Remain MPs claim is vital to the UK economy. In fact the UK is second from bottom, only beaten into last place by little Cyprus which does not have a highly-developed manufacturing sector.

Fake news? No, these are the EU’s own official figures

Remain-supporting MPs are continuing to argue that membership of the Single Market (or some equivalent) is essential to the United Kingdom’s economy.

The data above comes from the EU itself. Brexit Facts4EU.Org uses EU data wherever possible because then it cannot be contested by those MPs who seem to have a blind allegiance to that organisation.

The simple fact is that the Single Market is benefiting many EU countries,
but for the world’s fifth-largest economy to be bottom of the list
in its own backyard is damning, to say the least.

So what do we do about trade with the EU?

The above information from the EU, published yesterday, demonstrates beyond doubt that the UK does NOT benefit from the Single Market in the way most Remain MPs claim in Parliament each week.

Taken together with our weekend articles on the way forward for UK trade with the EU, it is clear that a robust and confident approach is required from the country's next Prime Minister.

Owen Paterson comments exclusively to Brexit Facts4EU.Org

Credit: Heritage Foundation

We asked the Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP, former Secretary of State with extensive experience of the EU, for his views on UK-EU trade going forward. This is what he told us:-

“There is no good reason that the UK and the EU should not agree a mutually-beneficial trade deal.

“To get there, both sides can agree to maintain our current zero-tariff, zero-quota arrangements for a transition period while the eventual deal is finalised. Such an agreement - a real but temporary FTA – need not be complicated. It could be written on a single page. But as with any negotiation, our best chance of securing a good deal is to be fully prepared to leave without one.

“The ludicrous scaremongering surrounding ‘no deal’ has been exposed and debunked. Indeed, ‘No deal’ itself is a misnomer, as many practical agreements have already been agreed. A deal is in the best interests of both the UK and the EU, so ‘no deal’ is unlikely to be an end state.”

Observations

Our report above shows unequivocally that the Single Market has been of great benefit to many other EU countries, but that the UK comes bottom of the list. This is despite the fact that the Single Market is sold to British voters (by Remain MPs) as one of the defining benefits of EU membership.

It is also despite the fact that the UK is the second-highest net contributor to the EU’s funds. In other words, the UK is the second-biggest payer, but at the end of the queue when it comes to benefiting from that.

Not only do we benefit the least, we lose our sovereignty at the same time

Critically, any discussion of trade should go hand-in-hand with the loss of sovereignty involved with being members of the Single Market and Customs Union. For there to be so little economic benefit, and for the cost to the sovereignty and democracy in the UK to be so high, we suggest that Remain MPs lose the argument on both sides.

With a managed WTO-terms Brexit, trade will continue. Every country in the World (except a few pariah states) has access to the Single Market.

We agree with Owen Paterson

We wholeheartedly agree with the Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP – a man with considerable experience of negotiating with Brussels – that it is possible to agree to maintain the status quo in terms of trade arrangements while the UK and EU negotiate a free trade agreement.

If the EU were interested in the prosperity of its citizens it would have agreed a trade deal by now, regardless of what it says in the Treaties about having to wait until the day after exit. What a nonsense notion that is. If you know something is coming, you prepare for it. The last thing you want to do is damage the jobs and livelihoods of millions of EU citizens by waiting for no reason.

Finally - and regardless of the EU ideologues’ reaction to sensible proposals from the new UK Prime Minister - no-one is saying that trade with the EU will disappear when we leave.

The UK will continue to have access to the Single Market just as every other country around the world has, including the USA, China, etc. It’s only the terms which will change, and it’s only the EU that can make these as illogical and damaging as possible, for no good reason.

Readers may wonder why such an important piece of news does not appear on the BBC nor in the newspapers today. The EU buried this news in a press release about infringements of EU law by member states. It takes a lot of time to ensure that highly relevant information to the Brexit debate is not missed, and that it is researched thoroughly and brought to the attention of readers. We can only do this with the help of you, the public. Please help us to keep going with a a donation if you can. Quick and secure donation methods are below. Thank you.

[ Sources: EU Commission Single Market Scoreboard | the Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, 05 Jul 2019

Click here to go to our news headlines
And please scroll down for comments on the above article.

Share this article on

Something to say about this? Scroll down for reader comments

Since before the EU Referendum, Brexit Facts4EU.Org
has been the most prolific researcher and publisher of Brexit facts in the world.

Supported by MPs, MEPs, & other groups, our work has impact.

We think facts matter. Please donate today, so that we can continue to ensure a clean Brexit is finally delivered.

Any credit card user

Quick One-off

Donate

From £5 - £1,000

Monthly

Subscribe

From £3 per month

Paypal Users Only - Choose amount first

Quick One-off

Monthly