I hear the EU is expecting to levy high levels of tariffs on Chinese cars shortly. Are the bosses of the European car companies and some nation states wrong in believing protectionism isn't a good route to take?
Mercedes - "if we seek our fortune in increased protectionism, we are going the wrong way"
BMW - "the wrong way to go... like shooting yourself in the foot... protectionism could set a spiral in motion"
VW - "detrimental to the current weak demand for BEV vehicles in Germany and Europe"
Stellantis (incl. Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat, Opel) - "electric vehicle tariffs are a trap"
Germany, Sweden and Hungary’s governments have stated previously that they did not approve of the tariffs, which would “ultimately just make everything more expensive, and everyone poorer” according to German chancellor Olaf Scholz.
al_yrpal wrote: ↑21 May 2022, 8:25pm I believe decent wages will always attract people to work where there are labour shortages.
There is no economic principle that says that supply and demand of labour will keep the same level of production of the same product in the same place.
Production might decrease or stop or move elsewhere. As with soft fruits:
"In general the likely consequences of restricted seasonal worker numbers would be as follows:
- A reduction in the volume of UK Soft Fruit production.
- A reduction in the number of UK Soft Fruit-growing businesses.
- A reduced area of Soft Fruit production in the UK.
- A significant reduction in UK self-sufficiency in a highly perishable product which, both economically and environmentally, should be produced as close to the point of consumption as possible.
- An increase in the volume of Soft Fruit imports into the UK, with a detrimental effect on the balance of payments and the environment (with increased transportation), as well as reducing or removing the opportunity for consumers to buy local produce.
- A reduction in taxation income for the UK Government – Income Tax, Corporation Tax and National Insurance from both employers and employees.
- A reduction in overall market supply, increasing prices to UK consumers (which would be greater in the event of weak Sterling).
- A reduction in the consumption of Soft Fruit by UK consumers as a result of reduced availability and increased price (which could be exacerbated in the event that Soft Fruit becomes the subject of tariffs). Soft Fruit marketing specialists estimate that the loss of a seasonal labour supply could lead to price inflation for strawberries and raspberries in the range 35–50% from current levels."
"The Impact of Brexit on the UK Soft Fruit Industry" https://www.britishsummerfruits.co.uk/u ... Report.pdf
“It is extremely disappointing that the Government announced the charges at the last minute, leaving affected businesses little time to revise their commercial arrangements with EU customers. This is in no way helpful to UK based importers and the whole EU supply chain. It reinforces the Government’s slapdash approach to a vital part of UK PLC.
“Our main concern is that this is now certain to negatively affect food prices. The confirmation that common user charges will apply from the 30th of April means that UK importers of medium and high-risk goods will have to pass this cost onto either the EU importer, the smaller UK retailer, or the UK consumer.
“EU exporters are also shouldering the additional cost of Health Certificates which may discourage many from exporting food and plant products to the UK in future.
“Ultimately, this will increase business costs and food prices and potentially lower choices for the shopper."
"The implications for the fresh produce and plant sectors are particularly severe.
"In a statement, Nigel Jenney, Chief Executive of the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC), called the newly introduced Common User Charges (CUCs) a "thinly veiled tax on the industry." He warned that these exorbitant fees could add £200 million in costs across the industry and shatter supply chain confidence.
"The CUC system presents a significant barrier for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Despite being capped, the fees remain substantial at £145 per consignment arriving via Dover or Eurotunnel, making the system unsustainable for many businesses."
"Common User Charge announcement": https://hta.org.uk/news/common-user-charge-announcement Whilst it is welcome that it has at last been published, the Common User Charge (CUC) announcement at the eleventh hour confirms our fears that in just one month, UK horticulture’s competitiveness will be again hit by a cost hike for no material gain. 90% of our growers import plants at some stage of the growing cycle. Nearly 100% are SMEs and, in theory, subject to 100% checks and charges. Today, they have near 0% access to the easements or alternatives to BCP usage.
But there's a glimmer of sunlight breaking through the clouds:
"Amy Leversidge, the general secretary of the British Airline Pilots’ Association, called on the new government to heed the association’s repeated calls for “mutual recognition of flight crew and engineer licences, medical certificates, and training organisation approvals, which would benefit all airlines and remove barriers to UK licence holders securing employment”.
"The foreign secretary, David Lammy, has said he will be seeking to fix this as part of a wider reset in EU relations the Labour government is seeking."
Rachel Reeves wants to cut a pledged £90mn to £40mn for the Astra-Zeneca (AZ) vaccine manufacturing site in Speke.
Inside sources warn that AZ could move production to either the US or India
Let's hope that Labour can remember Sir Keir's countless pledges in the correct context, "Labour’s manifesto for change is a plan to kickstart economic growth by reforming Britain’s economy..." https://labour.org.uk/updates/stories/l ... 4-sign-up/
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Building Safety and Homelessness: "I can announce today that the Government will extend the period of recognition of CE marking for construction products. The CE mark will continue to be available when placing construction products on the market across the UK.
"We have listened to the findings from the Independent Review of the Construction Products Testing Regime. This was clear that there is currently insufficient testing and certification capacity in the UK alone to provide the volume of conformity assessment that would be required were CE recognition to end. We are also clear that ending recognition of CE marking without reforming the domestic regime would create trade barriers and negatively affect the supply of products that meet recognised standards." https://questions-statements.parliament ... -02/hcws62
And avoiding another problem for supply chains should be congratulated.
Jdsk wrote: ↑4 Sep 2024, 11:48am
Construction materials
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Building Safety and Homelessness: "I can announce today that the Government will extend the period of recognition of CE marking for construction products. The CE mark will continue to be available when placing construction products on the market across the UK.
"We have listened to the findings from the Independent Review of the Construction Products Testing Regime. This was clear that there is currently insufficient testing and certification capacity in the UK alone to provide the volume of conformity assessment that would be required were CE recognition to end. We are also clear that ending recognition of CE marking without reforming the domestic regime would create trade barriers and negatively affect the supply of products that meet recognised standards." https://questions-statements.parliament ... -02/hcws62
And avoiding another problem for supply chains should be congratulated.
Jonathan
Yes, and it should be noted that, as all experts told us, we've ended up following EU regulation. Quelle surprise.
Only those sucked in by the lies told about Brexit ever believed we'd rewrite EU standards that we were part of drafting.
Hopefully with a move away from the party that gave us Brexit a more sensible approach will be taken to regulations and laws.
Change for the sake of change is potty.
francovendee wrote: ↑4 Sep 2024, 9:29pm
Only those sucked in by the lies told about Brexit ever believed we'd rewrite EU standards that we were part of drafting.
Or future ones, most goods are mass produced, even if you could persuade a manufacturer to produce to an exclusive UK standard, they're not going to do so without cost.
francovendee wrote: ↑4 Sep 2024, 9:29pm
Only those sucked in by the lies told about Brexit ever believed we'd rewrite EU standards that we were part of drafting.
Hopefully with a move away from the party that gave us Brexit a more sensible approach will be taken to regulations and laws.
Change for the sake of change is potty.
I really don't understand why changes to EU standards, that were harmonised with British Standards (hence BS EN) in a lot of cases, was ever considered to be remotely important.
Politicians discussing nonsense without a good reason
roubaixtuesday wrote: ↑4 Sep 2024, 11:54am
Yes, and it should be noted that, as all experts told us, we've ended up following EU regulation. Quelle surprise.
If you want an entertaining read, follow @vivamjm on Twitter, he spent decades working in freight & logistics before retiring to Cyprus to avoid the consequences of the referendum. He knows his stuff inside out, and now amuses himself telling the Brexiters "I told you so", and systematically pulling apart their bovine excrement.
“I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche
francovendee wrote: ↑4 Sep 2024, 9:29pm
Only those sucked in by the lies told about Brexit ever believed we'd rewrite EU standards that we were part of drafting.
Hopefully with a move away from the party that gave us Brexit a more sensible approach will be taken to regulations and laws.
Change for the sake of change is potty.
tim-b wrote: ↑5 Sep 2024, 7:41am
I really don't understand why changes to EU standards, that were harmonised with British Standards (hence BS EN) in a lot of cases, was ever considered to be remotely important.
Politicians discussing nonsense without a good reason
From the House of Commons Library briefing: "The REUL reform report sets out a roadmap to revoke or reform half of all REUL by June 2026."
Jdsk wrote: ↑4 Sep 2024, 11:48am
Construction materials
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Building Safety and Homelessness: "I can announce today that the Government will extend the period of recognition of CE marking for construction products. The CE mark will continue to be available when placing construction products on the market across the UK.
"We have listened to the findings from the Independent Review of the Construction Products Testing Regime. This was clear that there is currently insufficient testing and certification capacity in the UK alone to provide the volume of conformity assessment that would be required were CE recognition to end. We are also clear that ending recognition of CE marking without reforming the domestic regime would create trade barriers and negatively affect the supply of products that meet recognised standards." https://questions-statements.parliament ... -02/hcws62
And avoiding another problem for supply chains should be congratulated.
It's a very interesting development... detoxify anything starting with E, avoid performative politics, listen to experts, and try and remove barriers to policies well in advance. And this government is hanging a lot on construction.
Additional paperwork from 31 January, additional physical checks on plant and animal products from 30 April, additional declaration on all goods from 31 October.
"We write as a group of some 30 trade and professional organisations representing £100bn of the UK’s food supply, production and distribution chain, enforcers and port health.
"We are deeply concerned by recent media reports regarding threats to GB biosecurity, food security and food safety that reflect many of the issues our member organisations have raised with Defra, including senior managers, over the gestation period of the BTOM."
