EU Trade

In yet another doom-laden editorial, in which our chances of making effective trade deals with the rest of the world are dismissed, the Times today tells us that “the economic arguments strongly suggest that Britain needs to focus on a trade deal with the EU not only to avoid tariffs but to minimise non-tariff barriers to trade.”

We already have arrangements with the EU members by which tariffs and non-tariff barriers to trade are minimised.  Why, then, do we need a new “deal” and what on earth is there to compromise about?