The Brexit Britain sun shines on Japan

If Japan can agree a trade deal with the UK in just three months
why can’t the EU manage it in four-and-a-half years?

World’s third & fifth largest economies sign historic agreement to launch Global Brexit Britain

On Friday 23 Oct 2020, Liz Truss, Secretary of State for International Trade, flew to Tokyo and signed the UK’s first trade deal with a G7 country: Japan. Named the UK–Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) the Government describes this as:

“The first deal that the UK has struck as an independent trading nation. A British-shaped deal that goes beyond the existing EU agreement, securing bespoke benefits for British businesses and citizens.”

This deal also marks an important step towards joining the Comprehensive Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade area, which would result in closer ties with 11 Pacific countries which represent 13% of the global economy. This economic area is growing far faster than the EU.

The deal rolls over the EU’s arrangements with Japan and betters them

In the past the UK had to accept the priorities of the 27 other member countries of the EU when the EU Commission was conducting its very lengthy negotiations. The interests of some of these countries – many of which are tiny - were of course widely divergent from those of the United Kingdom.

Now that the UK is negotiating on its own behalf it is able to tailor trade deals to the UK’s specific economic interests. As the Dept for International Trade states:

“The deal is tailored to both economies and goes beyond existing EU deals, with big benefits for digital and data, financial services, food and drink, and creative industries.
“The deal brings together two of the world’s most technologically advanced nations, placing the UK at the forefront of shaping new global standards on digital trade.”

The path to the Pacific opens up for Global, Brexit Britain

This trade agreement also includes a strong commitment from Japan to support the UK joining the ‘Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership’ (CPTPP), one of the world’s biggest free trade areas.

The countries who form part of the CPTPP are: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. Together they cover 13.4% of the global economy and more than £110bn of trade.  The agreement entered into force over the first two weeks of last year (2019) and the CPTPP is now the third-largest trading bloc in the world.

The UK International Trade Secretary, Liz Truss

On Friday in Tokyo, the Secretary for International Trade, the Rt Hon Liz Truss MP stated:

“Today is a landmark moment for Britain. It shows what we can do as an independent trading nation, as we secure modern and bespoke provisions in areas like tech and services that are critical to the future of our country and the reshaping of our economy.”

Observations

This significant economic and political development for the post-Brexit United Kingdom which begins on 01 January 2021 received relatively scant media attention. Those articles which did appear were more inclined to be dismissive, or damned with faint praise.

Let’s be clear about the basics

This trade deal with Japan was secured in a little over three months
The EEC/EU didn’t manage this for 60 years
It means a UK trade deal with the world’s third-largest economy
It opens the door into the Pacific markets for Global Brexit Britain
It improves on the EU’s arrangements and is tailored to British interests

Remainers can scoff all they want. The deal with Japan can always be improved – this is in the nature of trade deals and it will happen. However this is a good deal right now which secures UK-Japan trade at the end of this year. The important thing is that this a huge shot in the arm for the country and it’s very welcome news.

This deal really does beg the question. If Japan can roll over and improve its trading relationship with the UK for the post-Brexit world in just three months, how come the EU has proved incapable of this in four-and-a-half years?

Finally, a small gripe. Whilst we understand Liz Truss wanting to sign in Tokyo in order to secure more coverage in the Pacific press, we would have insisted that the deal be signed in London. It might then have received more UK press coverage, thereby sending a positive message to the people of the United Kingdom about Brexit and would incidentally have sent a delicately-thumbed nose to the EU.

We’ve said this many times before and we’ll say it again: Government communications in Whitehall continue to need a massive shake-up.

And finally finally, readers who were hoping to read an article about rescinding the Withdrawal Agreement and what Brexit Facts4EU.Org is doing about this must be patient for another day. Our resources were insufficient to complete this. We hope to publish some exciting news tomorrow.

Readers who have not already donated to fund our work (which involves no limos, no secretaries, no long lunches – unlike the EU Commission) could do so in a two shakes of a Juncker martini. Quick, secure, and confidential donation links are below this article. We only survive on public donations – unlike some Remainer organisations no foreign billionaires have ever funded us, sadly….

[ Sources: Dept for International Trade | IMF ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Thur 29 Oct 2020

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Reader Comments 19

1. Prsjm3qf , Thursday, October 29, 2020, 07:22:

I think we all know the answer. Because they don't want an honest and fair trading relationship. They want to keep their milch cow permenantly under the thumb.

2. Concerned , Thursday, October 29, 2020, 08:21:

Also you have to know the influences of the evil WEF and other globalists. Just as they have tried to bring the US down. The EU has never been of benefit to any European country. Corruption is king in the EU. There can be no other reason that after nearly 5 years, Brexit has not been done. The UK should have been free 4 years ago!

3. Sydney Ashurst , Thursday, October 29, 2020, 09:39:

Merkel and the EU are pressing for a fudge. German business has awoken to the grave financial peril they are in without a trade deal. The problem for the UK is the EU unelected hierarchy wants it on the cheap and with too many strings. The only media presenting the facts is the Daily Express.
IF the UK fails to strike a trade deal with the EU before the end of the year, it will be a "catastrophe" for Germany, which will be harder hit than any other member of the EU27, a former MEP has said. Hans-Olaf Henkel, who is also a former Federation of German Industries (BDI), said Germany's massive car industry would be dealt a huge blow, as would other key sectors - and warned Brussels against complacently assuming Brexit was merely a "British problem". Mr Henkel was speaking after the publication of a report by credit insurer Euler Hermes, which puts the chances of a no-deal outcome at 45 percent. "However, the impression reigning in EU circles suggest that it is primarily a British problem. "Before Brexit, Britain was the largest single customer of the other 27 countries, ahead even of China and the United States."
The corresponding risk for his own country should not be understated, Mr Henkel said.
He added: "For Germany, the third largest exporting nation of the world, Britain was the third largest single customer, behind the US and China.
To illustrate his point, Mr Henkel explained: "Just look at the number of German made limousines driving in British cities!
Today you demonstrate that Barnier and Co are incapable of negotiating a fair trade deal, wrapped up before the end of the transition period.
Walk away now and France and Germany will realise who are the losers. 5 years wasted, so a few months next year, with the boot on our foot in negotiations will be worth holding out for.

4. Jon, Wales , Thursday, October 29, 2020, 09:59:

It is crystal clear to me the EU Commission and their minions seek only to punish our country for daring to exit their extravagant club, which by definition means an 'attack' on all British citizens.
The EU want us to remain subordinate to them, and to pay huge sums of British taxpayers money for them to waste as they see fit.
It is not for British taxpayers to continue propping up the EU27.
So far as I'm concerned, I do NOT recognise the EU as a legitimate power - The EU is NOT a country, yet in small steps they're forcing all member countries together without consent (but we know the EU don't like true democracy).
As Mr Macron has stated several times, if France was allowed the opportunity of a Brexit-styled referendum, he thinks France would vote to exit, so I challenge Mr Macron to PUT IT TO THE TEST - IF HE HAS THE GUTS?
Consider this: business trade with business, yet for their own pathetic reasons, the EU wish to make matters difficult for themselves with their major customer.
Then imagine continental businesses going mad with their leaders because the commission is screwing up their trade with the UK?
When I last checked, Vietnam was not an EU member, yet both have a trade deal (Facts4EU published an article on this which readers will find via the 'INDEX').
Gov.uk also published information about EU-Vietnam at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance...
We must therefore seriously suggest the EU are attempting to discriminate against the UK by dragging things out? ENOUGH IS ENOUGH?

5. Paul Harding , Thursday, October 29, 2020, 11:27:

Because Japan doesn’t want to control our laws or borders and have total access to our sovereign waters 🤷‍♂️

6. Buster , Thursday, October 29, 2020, 12:06:

The UK has only been negotiating a trade deal with the EU since February 2020. So 8 months - not 4.5 years. And all of this 8 months has been disrupted by the pandemic.
You are also carrying out a first in world trade. Negotiating which new trade barriers to erect with the EU, every other trade deal removes trade barriers - yours puts them back. Making trade worse and harder is a learning curve for everyone - as demonstrated by the Brexiteers total and utter failure to understand this reality.
The rest of the period since the referendum you were arguing with yourselves about what Brexit meant. Then you got really angry about the withdrawal agreement for a year and a bit, before you renegotiated it to make it worse, and then campaigned for it as ‘a great deal. An oven ready deal.’ Having won an election on that, you passed it into UK law - making it a legally binding international treaty.
Then - a few months later - you expressed outrage that the deal you’d renegotiated and campaigned on was really not very good after all. At which point you voted again to allow ministers to break your oven ready great deal.
In other words you are really not very good at this and should leave it to the grown ups.

7. Diane , Thursday, October 29, 2020, 13:59:

I & many others are pleased we have a first deal with Japan. It may not be perfect at this time but can be built on. (6) Buster: Anyone sensible & knowing knew and, yes, cringed, at the PM's WA 'Oven Ready' term and the term 'deal' also, it being the treaty on how we actually leave, or attempt to leave this increasingly appalling UK bashing, group think imposing, self aggrandising, rule breaking, power grabbing, good faith lacking, unilateral decision making (for some) and deceiving 'construct' - for want of a better word. Yes only 8 months on Trade with many, many hours of those months not devoted to Trade at all. The hard liners ( and the electorate ) went ahead with their support, having little choice but with the not legally binding Political Declaration offering amongst other things some opportunity to achieve a good faith, simple as possible - which had at one time been "threatened" - Free Trade Agreement. That was enough to persuade but certainly not entirely satisfy, the many. We were where we were. Off topic: Yet another cargo ship yesterday, arrived Southampton Docks via the French port of Le Havre en route to Baltimore (BBC report) dropping off its stowaways / cruise passengers in the UK & reported to be Albanian with a pregnant lady in hospital being cared for, a 17yo teenager now under 'Children's Services' and a number held in custody. Albania, receiver of EU money & already, jointly, on the future EU Accession list with a 2019 EU agreement for Accession talks/negotiations.

8. Denise Bevan , Thursday, October 29, 2020, 14:34:

As we find trade deals with other nations without having to pay billions to belong to their "club"; with no obligation to house their citizens; without having to obey their laws, people will finally see how costly, ridiculous and unnecessary our membership of the EU has been for 40 years.

9. Eddie Burn , Thursday, October 29, 2020, 16:04:

Eu dont want a deal they want us the uk to prop up their club they want OUR money plain & simple they cant function without it .....!!

10. JonL , Thursday, October 29, 2020, 16:24:

The basic difference between the Japan deal and the EU is easy to miss, but it is quite fundamental because it is the difference between free markets and mercantilism.
The Japan deal recognizes that trade benefits *both* parties. Free trade is not a zero-sum game. Me exporting to you benefits both of us because I get to spread my costs over more production, and you get to use goods that you did not have to invest to produce.
The EU, on the other hand, treats importing as something to limit at all costs, using tariff and non-tariff barriers, because Europe, especially France, has a tradition going all the way back to the Eighteenth century that believes that the way to grow your economy is not by trading but by limiting trade, especially imports, which should be viewed as a threat.
The result? The EU is the slowest growing economic bloc on the planet, and the share of UK trade trade taken up by the EU has fallen from 60% a few decades ago, to 45% today, and headed for 35% by the end of the decade. The EU's share of World trade and GDP is also falling.
We did not just vote to leave the EU - we were already in the process of leaving by reorienting our trade way from the EU's slow-growing market to the rest of the World's far faster growing market. That process cannot be stopped.

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