Brexit is arguably the divisive issue of our time. In 2016, a narrow referendum vote to leave the EU has led the UK down a strange path, including the creation of new economic and social barriers. Brexit was designed to return ‘sovereignty’ to the UK; has it?
Brexit and Trade
Arguably the biggest impact Brexit has had is with regard to trade ? and not in the most positive of ways. The deal as struck between the UK and EU involved the UK leaving the single market, which is a trading bloc comprising the EU’s member states, the European Economic Area and Switzerland. In leaving the single market, the free movement of goods and services was no longer legal.
Today, the bureaucracy involved in exporting goods to other nations has increased significantly. There is much more paperwork to sort through, and significant customs delays as goods are checked and verified according to individual national legal processes before being sent. This has been catastrophic for some businesses, as we will discover shortly.
Impacts on Travel
The impacts of the UK’s departure from the single market are by no means isolated to trade between the UK and the EU’s member nations. The single market provided freedom of movement not only for goods and trade, but also for people; it was this provision that enabled UK citizens untrammelled travel across EU nation borders.
After the Brexit withdrawal agreement passed into law, UK citizens were no longer afforded the same freedom-of-movement benefits afforded to EU members. This does not preclude UK citizens from travelling to mainland Europe, but does preclude them from enjoying fast-track entry to any one country.
Motorists may still cross borders, from the UK to Europe and through Europe, but will often require specific paperwork to do so. There have been changes to protocol with regard to showing a UK identifying sticker, but drivers must still have insurance, and ensure they have a valid MOT for their return to the UK. This can add additional costs, such as the need to book an MOT online prior to departure.
Economic Impacts
But what, all told, are the impacts of Brexit on the nation ? economically speaking and otherwise. Businesses have suffered massively from the loss of free and swift trade routes, with significant costs added on not just for passage of goods but also for administrative man-hours.
Meanwhile, industries that rely on international travel ? particularly the UK’s live music industry ? have been brought to their knees. The paperwork required to ship equipment across each and every EU border is a logistical impossibility, and many grassroots bands, touring musicians and support staff have been precluded from working in Europe as a result.
Altogether, a damning picture is painted of Brexit’s role in the UK’s economy. Far from unleashing potential, Brexit has decimated our potential ? at least, according to ex-governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney.
