When the mountains scream hooray

Christmas eve has Britain signed an agreement with the EU and most British breathe a sigh of relief. Brexit without a deal would certainly lead to chaos and a severe economic recession. Britain’s future would come into play. Especially since the open world trading system is under pressure. This could lead to a situation in which China, the United States and the EU become trading blocs competing for economic and political goals and outcomes. Being completely out, with the old imperial dreams of free trade, would be extremely risky.

Now get Britain at least one foot within the EU, but the result is not free. The British gained market access and duty-free access to goods, but not services, which are believed to account for about half of the country’s exports. Equally important is that the UK will no longer be subject to the Court of Justice of the European Communities and will have greater control over its own laws, borders and waters. In return, comprehensive agreements are established in which the disputed issues will be negotiated. Northern Ireland will continue to be part of the EU internal market. EU rules will apply and the Court of Justice of the European Communities will continue to have jurisdiction.

In Norway it is the reaction to the Brexit deal is as expected. The most fervent supporters of the EU believe that a similar deal for Norway would be a disaster. Not less economically. On the negative side, the joy hardly ends. The political editor of the class struggle, Bjørgulv Braanen, praises the conservative class politician Boris Johnson and believes that he will become “one of the most important British prime ministers after the war.” Marit Arnstad, parliamentary leader of the Center Party, tells Klassekampen that the British deal with the EU is better than the Norwegian deal with the EEA. Similar signals come from SV and Rødt.

We believe you can It would be wise to wait with dramatic conclusions about the Brexit deal. The effects of the deal will not be known until it has worked for some time and actual coordination between the EU and the UK has been established. For an economic and political power, it may be beneficial to politically negotiate disputes. A country like Norway, with fewer kilos of meat, is probably better served by the EEA, where conflicts with the EU are resolved in the judicial bodies.

Of course you must we have a debate on Norway, the EEA and Brexit. Then it is of little use to draw conclusions beforehand. This is especially true of a thoughtless nationalism that is as inflated as Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson’s description of Norway’s “And the mountains themselves scream hooray!”