It is clear now the UK will be divided post-Brexit between US and EU approaches, with the UK’s choice being a decisive factor in determining what type of trade agreement it will reach with both parties.
Michel Barnier, former head of the Brexit negotiations task force and now in charge of the UK task force for the new European Commission, has clearly indicated on several occasions that if UK rolls back social and environmental standards, this will result in proportional consequences over UK access to the EU market. A future EU – UK trade deal could even be blocked in a scenario where the UK embarks on a considerable deregulatory path. Barnier also added that striking a trade agreement in only 11 months is not realistic.