Brexit and EU negotiation

EU Agenda

The EU’s major agenda was to ensure that the market integrity of the EU and its member states is preserved. This meant that the UK incurs the cost of leaving the union and that it does not continue to enjoy the benefits that were enjoyed when the British was a member state (Patel 2018, 9)[1]. This was argued that because the UK has demonstrated lack of interest and dissatisfaction as member, the privileges that are granted to the member states should be deprived from her so that it does not encourage other countries to follow the path taken by the UK. This was elaborated to the UK’s representatives in the negotiation, that they would no longer be part of any single market. This also meant that it will not be possible for the UK to engage in the marketing of goods and services in any part of the EU they choose. By doing so, the EU aims at ensuring that the exit of the UK does not give it a competitive advantage over it and its member states by engaging in and benefiting from the trade with other international markets and the EU members, of which the members are limited in their terns of trade and marketing with third-party countries (Patel 2018, 9)[2]. The EU also purposed to engage in a negotiation that will be characterized by transparency to help in keeping track of every step taken and ensure that the concerned citizens get the right information concerning the happenings and all surrounding the (Patel 2018, 6)[3].

Negotiation techniques

Strategy, technique and method

The EU has employed the diplomatic negotiation strategy with the UK to ensure that at the end of the process, both parties will have agreed either to reman together or separate in a good and peaceful manner. This type of negotiation has been employed by the EU in the Brexit negotiation to ensure that the two conflicting sides arrive at a consensus on all the issues that are being bargained for and against on the negotiation table. It ensures that all the issue are looked at from both sides of the divide as they both try to bring out the incentives and the disincentives on the matter and explore the possible way out that would ensure that there is a good relationship going forward, even after the negotiations, whether they come to a mutual agreement or not. As it is always the case with diplomatic negotiations, one of the parties maintains threats all through or use it as an incentive to compromise issues in their favor (McCarthy and Hay 2015, 138)[4]. At time, the threats are very real and adverse and may have a very big negative impact on the other party in the negotiation table. In this case, the EU is using threats against the UK, for example, by pointing out that the privileges they enjoyed as members will be taken away and there will be other restrictions that will be issued, especially in line with trade within the region. Also, to ensure transparency in the negotiations, the EU has drafted the guidelines that will be used as tools of reference. This has shaped the negotiations and help and helped shed light to the British citizens on various issues surrounding the Brexit. The EU also took the phased method to the negotiation where different issues were to be discussed separately according to the urgency at the time and ensure that the negotiations are carried out with proper planning (McCarthy and Hay 2015, 20)[5].

SWOT analysis

Citizens and consumers

With the UK as a member of the EU, the citizens are able to freely move within the member states and seek employment opportunities there, as well as establish businesses without any limitations. Additionally, the British citizens have been granted very many privileges such protection as consumers that initially did not exist there. This law has successfully limited the restrictive practices. On the other hand, the rule of free movement and employability rights within the EU members has had an effect, especially in undermining the national citizenship. One of the examples cited is the ability of an individual who has worked for part-time for a number of weeks being granted equal benefits as the Britain citizens. Also, some of the consumer protection laws have been scrapped of for inhibiting free movement of goods in the UK. Therefore, if the UK remains in the European Union, it will be subject to their rules and will have to bear the ongoing consequences that they are facing and the European courts can always give judgements that are never expected and the country required to adhere to the consumer protection laws, for example. On the other hand, the UK citizens might not have access to the rights and privileges that they were granted before and the most affected will be those residing in foreign countries that will remain in the EU (UKandEU 2016)[6].

Global trade

Trade is unarguably the most important pillar in the economy pf any country. The European Union is among the most powerful players in the World Trade Organization, which is the organization in charge of trade across the world. The EU membership has had a big impact on the world trade influence achieved by the UK which other countries such as Brazil which tend to be equally competitive lack and has been viewed to do best in the service sectors. However, the UK’s export to other countries is yet to grow to the level of China as compared to the collective trade of the EU. The UK has an opportunity to continue enjoying the trade incentives within the EU and have a chance to negotiate for other trade deals outside the EU because the union allows trade with other countries. On the other hand, the UK risks missing out in the trade with the US, which the UE is negotiating for hence forcing it to operate on its own (UKandEU 2016)[7].

From the above analysis, it is clear that the EU’s techniques have succeeded in blackmailing the UK by exposing the inability of the country to survive on its own both in the regional interaction and the global trade. This has led to the current division in the UK on whether the country should leave the EU or not, blaming those supporting the Brexit for a lack of plan and the ‘no deal’ exit is a recipe for chaos. After the collection of over 6 million signatures to cancel the exit plan, the EU has now agreed to again postpone the Brexit till October 31st. This gives room for British to rethink on the way forward (Kirby 2019)[8].

Solution

Mediator

Since all the two parties, the EU and the UK are holding hard stands and none is willing to relent in their demands, a mediator should be employed in the negotiation where both parties will agree on the person to guide them in the negotiation. As the deadline for the negotiation nears and the parties are under pressure to finalize the process, especially after the EU’s extension of the Brexit till October. The mediator uses his powers to convince the two parties towards his way of thinking after considering both sides of the story and ensuring that he is not biased. This will help both the EU and the UK end the negotiation with a mutual understanding of each other (Cleary 2015, 138)[9].

Summary

From the above analysis, the Brexit is likely to affect the relationship between the UK and its EU counterparts. The UK might lose more than the EU will and the regrets arise later because the union will be working harder to suppress the domination of the UK. However, whether the UK leaves the UK or not, security corporation between them will remain to be of importance to them all and will not be affected by their tainted relationship. This is majorly because they exist in one region and a security threat in one of the countries means that the neighbors are equally not safe. This will therefore keep the UK and the EU in close coordination of their security apparatus for the common good of all the countries in the region (Patel 2018, 10)[10].

 

Bibliography

Cleary, Patrick J. 2015. The Negotiation Handbook. Abingdon: Routledge.

Kirby, Jen . 2019. 9 Questions About Brexit You Were Too Embarrassed to Ask. April 12. Accessed June 3, 2019. https://www.vox.com/world/2019/4/10/18283027/brexit-news-uk-eu-questions.

McCarthy, Alan , and Steve Hay. 2015. Advanced Negotiation Techniques. New York: Apress.

Patel, Oliver . 2018. The EU and the Brexit Negotiations: Institutions, Strategies and Objectives. October. Accessed June 3rd, 2019. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/european-institute/sites/european-institute/files/eu_and_the_brexit_negotiations.pdf.

UKandEU. 2016. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats of the UK’s membership of the EU. June. Accessed June 3, 2019. https://ukandeu.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/SWOTS.pdf.

[1] Olive Patel. The EU and the Brexit Negotiations: Institutions, Strategies and Objectives(2018) 9

[2] Patel. The EU and the Brexit  9

 

[3] Patel. The EU and the Brexit  6

[4] Alan McCarthy, and Steve Hay. Advanced Negotiation Techniques. New York: Apress (2015) 138

 

[5] Alan McCarthy, and Steve Hay. Advanced Negotiation Techniques. New York: Apress (2015) 20

[6] UKandEU. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats of the UK’s membership of the EU(2016)

[7] UKandEU. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats of the UK’s membership of the EU(2016)

[8] Jen Kirby,. 2019. 9 Questions About Brexit You Were Too Embarrassed to Ask

[9] Patrick J Cleary. The Negotiation Handbook. Abingdon: Routledge (2015) 138

[10] Oliver Patel. The EU and the Brexit Negotiations: Institutions, Strategies and Objectives (. 2018) 10