I'm glad the UK is a member of the EU so we can benefit from this.
Not sure if sarcastic or not. Nowadays everything is possible. :-)
EU and Japan create world's biggest free trade zone
11–20 of 399 posts
Re: EU and Japan create world's biggest free trade zone
#12Are there any downsides to this that were perhaps left out of the article?
The downside of free trade agreements is well studied: while overall it's a net positive for the economies involved, there are some individual losers.
Re: EU and Japan create world's biggest free trade zone
#13Is this a good thing in the end?
Ecologically, hurting small economies (already happen in the eurozone)…
Re: EU and Japan create world's biggest free trade zone
#14Will consumers benefit from it? Can Japanese order from amazon.de without customs charges and vice versa?
Re: EU and Japan create world's biggest free trade zone
#15Re: EU and Japan create world's biggest free trade zone
#16Will consumers benefit from it? Can Japanese order from amazon.de without customs charges and vice versa?
amazon.com is US based. This free trade zone is between the EU and Japan.
Re: EU and Japan create world's biggest free trade zone
#17I'm glad the UK is a member of the EU so we can benefit from this.
So then it IS apparently possible to have a free trade zone without freedom of movement.
See here for a brief description and comparison of:
- the EU single market
- an EU customs union
- a free trade area
Re: EU and Japan create world's biggest free trade zone
#18Re: EU and Japan create world's biggest free trade zone
#19I'm glad the UK is a member of the EU so we can benefit from this.
Both the Japanese and UK official positions are that in the event of Brexit severing these new ties via the EU, they want to implement a bilateral deal as quickly as possible that covers the same benefits as the EPA with possibilities for going further. Obviously various parties involved would prefer a more orderly transition, though.
One somewhat ironic possible outcome if there is a hard Brexit is that the UK could subsequently form a relationship with the CPTPP group that is broadly similar in nature to the new Japan-EU agreement.