Johnson is heading straight for a hard Brexit. The automotive industry: “Without an agreement, tariffs are activated, we will lose 110 billion in 5 years”

The dispute process has begun in the British House of Commons bill presented by the Tory government of Boris johnson in after Brexi. A text that points to shamelessly question some of the commitments made to the EU during the divorce, in particular on the protocol on the sensitive issue of Northern Ireland’s borders, which Brussels has ordered withdrawn penalty of legal action and stop negotiations on future business relationships. But London does not give in, despite the criticism received by several deputies and former ministers of the same conservative group. And the specter of a no-deal (“no-deal”) departure terrifies European automotive sectorwho fears 110 billion euros in business losses for the next five years.

Johnson’s move was also criticized by five former Downing Street tenants: Labor Tony blair me Gordon brown and conservatives John major, Teresa May me David cameron, who gave the resignation after the result of referendum that he had promoted by betting on a very different outcome. But the prime minister, speaking in the House of Commons, defended the bill saying it will support the Conservative manifesto’s commitment to guaranteeing “unrestricted” trade between Britain and Northern Ireland after Brexit. And he accused Brussels of wanting to interpret in an “extreme” way the protocol on Northern Ireland contained in the divorce agreement, up to a possible “blocking the transport of food and agricultural products within our country ”and the demand for“ tariffs ”on the internal British border between Ulster and the rest of the United Kingdom.

Johnson criticized the EU’s negotiating stance to defend the controversial measure of national law that does not rule out the violation of international law. The 27 “threaten to impose customs duties, border duties within our country and divide our land“, Thundered, denouncing this as a contradiction to Article 4 of the Northern Ireland Protocol itself:” under which, and I quote, ‘Northern Ireland remains part of the customs territory of the United Kingdom. ” “We – he added – cannot imagine a situation in which the border lines of our country They are dictated by a foreign power or by an international organization. No British prime minister, no government, no parliament could accept such an imposition. “

Faced with the prospect of a hard Brexit, European auto industry leaders have joined forces to call on the EU and the UK to secure an ambitious free trade deal. Without it, “jobs in a sector it supports are put at risk 14.6 million households“They write. And the estimated 110 billion in damages would add up 100 billion due to the impact of coronavirus. Furthermore, “the catastrophic impact of the non-agreement”, with the consequent introduction of the rates set by the World Trade Organization That would carry over to consumer prices, threatens the EU-UK production of around 3 million cars and commercial vehicles in five years. too vendors would be affected by tariffs, leading to higher production costs leading to higher imports of components from other more competitive countries. Therefore, the associations conclude, “an ambitious EU-UK free trade agreement, with specific provisions for the automotive sector, is crucial for the future success of the European car industry.”