With Brexit, Great Britain turned away from the EU. Trade collapses, production moves away. What does this mean for the future of the country?
In January 1973, the United Kingdom joined the European Economic Community, a forerunner of today’s European Union. Membership ended after 47 years with Brexit, the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU on January 31, 2020.
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With Brexit, the United Kingdom has moved further away from the EU than any other European country are not EU members. Apparently, with Brexit, people were still filled with the glory of the British Empire, which they wanted back, even if the earth had continued to turn.
A political advantage of accession was the extensive economic integration of Northern Ireland into the economy of the Republic of Ireland, despite the Unionists’ lingering ambitions to secure their historic majorities in the north of the island of Ireland, which would ensure that Belfast was closer to London than to Dublin .
The common market ensured common development, which has had a positive impact on the island of Ireland. And so it is hardly surprising that one majority in Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU. Meanwhile, the pressure is growing a referendum in Northern Ireland for annexation to the republic in the south.
Today, Sinn Féin, which was once seen as the political arm of the paramilitary IRA, is a republican party that is the strongest force in the Northern Irish parliament. It is doubtful that a peaceful regrouping could succeed today and this could result in a re-emergence of the murderous civil war that had its effects back then and into the present British garrisons in Germany had.
The British market is comparatively small
When the United Kingdom could still rely on the Commonwealth as a trading partner, the British Isles were still the head of a global empire. With the decline and loss of the colonies, including the return of Hong Kong to the People’s Republic of China in 1997, the country’s exclusive market shrank considerably.
With Brexit and the resulting separation of the British market from the common market, which is characterized by an independent world of regulations and, for example, the CE mark was replaced by the UK CA mark, although both marks were originally only allowed to be used in the Northern Irish market Supplying the British market is so much more expensive that products with both license plates on one nameplate are now common.
Overall, the separation of the markets ensured that Great Britain’s foreign trade with the EU continuously collapsed, which the EU can cope with better than the British Kingdom. Imports and exports have plummeted, according to a new report from Aston University in Birmingham. Between 2021 and 2023, the value of British goods exports to the EU fell by 27 percent and the value of imports fell by 32 percent.
While it was feared after Brexit that the reintroduced customs clearance would lead to long traffic jams at the border, foreign trade between the EU and the United Kingdom is further reduced, meaning that customs clearance in intra-European trade can be handled better than by trading companies was feared at the time.
The British have so far been loyal to the treaty. But one of the reasons they left the EU was because they wanted to regain their sovereignty. Of course, this means that you want to create your own rules, which you consider to be more efficient and better suited to the British economy.
In some areas, economic constraints will ensure that British regulations will continue to develop in parallel with the EU. However, costly additional registrations are now often required for the British market, as can already be seen today with the example of the UK Reach System.
It is not yet certain whether the existing data protection regulations will be mutually recognized in the long term and should be taken into account by the companies operating on the British market. be kept in mind.
There is now a clear disintegration in the traditional supply chains. Due to the administrative costs, it is obviously no longer worthwhile in many cases to integrate the UK into complex, globally networked supply chains as before. German companies that want to continue serving the British market are moving parts of their production intended for the British market to Great Britain. Conversely, British companies are withdrawing production for the EU from the UK.
The UK is also decoupling from the EU when it comes to passenger transport
The days when you could travel to the British Isles with your ID card are now history. It’s no longer possible to go without a passport and from April 2025, travelers to Great Britain will need a paid electronic entry permit in addition to their passport (AND). This costs 10 British pounds, which is 11.85 euros, is valid for two years and must also be applied for for children, although there are no age limits.
Whether the Eurotunnel will still be needed in the future is a question that has not yet been clarified. The tunnel under the English Channel was built at a time of European integration euphoria, but soon distressed and could only be saved through bankruptcy and debt waiver by creditors.
Right from the start it was mainly used by the British. These included many who were able to use the direct connection between London and Brussels to submit EU funding applications. With Brexit, this group of users is now permanently eliminated and the fear of illegal migrants as the main users of the tunnel is growing.
