A no-deal Brexit won’t mean a shortage of medicines

5 June 2020
Trade, Development, and Immigration

A no-deal Brexit won’t mean a shortage of medicines

IEA research quoted in The Spectator

Coronavirus has amplified fears about the supply of medicines and medical supplies in the event of a no-deal Brexit but a piece in The Spectator argues such fears are overblown. Quoting an IEA briefing from 2018, the article notes that the UK "can simply recognise EU standards unilaterally" and so supply should be unaffected by ... Continue reading
5 June 2020
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The Greenwich reset: a future UK-EU free trade agreement

Shanker Singham
4 February 2020

The Greenwich reset: a future UK-EU free trade agreement

Boris Johnson’s speech and the EU’s draft negotiating mandate issued on the same day illustrate both how close the parties are and how far apart. We have certainly come a long way since the dark days of 2019 when then Prime Minister May was seeking frictionless trade from the EU, while trying to tell her ... Continue reading
Shanker Singham
4 February 2020
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1 Comment on The Greenwich reset: a future UK-EU free trade agreement

What trade deals do and do not mean for domestic laws

Andrew Lilico
8 January 2020

What trade deals do and do not mean for domestic laws

One of the larger benefits those of a liberal economics bent often ascribe to trade deals is that they provide an excuse for stripping away dumb domestic laws. A classic scenario is something like the following. At some point decades ago a government found it convenient to ally itself with either producers in some sector ... Continue reading
Andrew Lilico
8 January 2020
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1 Comment on What trade deals do and do not mean for domestic laws

The new Brexit deal: What’s changed, is it preferable?

Victoria Hewson
18 October 2019
Government and Institutions

The new Brexit deal: What’s changed, is it preferable?

What's happened? The EU Commission and UK have agreed a new Protocol for Ireland/Northern Ireland and a new Political Declaration in respect of the future relationship. It is expected that the Council will endorse it at the summit this week, and UK Parliament will vote on it on Saturday. The main body of the Withdrawal ... Continue reading
Victoria Hewson
18 October 2019
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2 Comments on The new Brexit deal: What’s changed, is it preferable?

The Consequences of a Permanent Customs Union

Shanker Singham
25 April 2019
Research

The Consequences of a Permanent Customs Union

IEA releases briefing on the reality of customs union membership

Summary:  A customs union with the EU would come with significant costs to the UK’s economic, trade and foreign policies. Such an arrangement would also fail, by itself, to eliminate trade ‘friction’ with the EU. To do so would also require alignment with the Single Market rules for goods. A customs union would also come ... Continue reading
Shanker Singham
25 April 2019
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EU officials and Brexiteers share a similar concern over Brexit

9 April 2019
Government and Institutions

EU officials and Brexiteers share a similar concern over Brexit

Kate Andrews writes for The Spectator Coffee House

Kate Andrews, Associate Director at the Institute of Economic Affairs has written for The Spectator's Coffee House on the possibility of another extension of Article 50 and what that might mean in practice. In the article Kate argues that the EU’s fears of a unruly UK in the European Union are just as legitimate as ... Continue reading
9 April 2019
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The EU Copyright Directive is likely to stifle competition and innovation

Victoria Hewson
27 March 2019
Regulation

The EU Copyright Directive is likely to stifle competition and innovation

Yesterday, the European Parliament voted in favour of the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market, in one of the final stages before it becomes law. There were protests against the Directive across Europe over the weekend, and campaigners were optimistic that these could be effective in view of upcoming European Parliament elections – ... Continue reading
Victoria Hewson
27 March 2019
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2 Comments on The EU Copyright Directive is likely to stifle competition and innovation

BBC Brexit bias on flagship political programmes

25 March 2019
Government and Institutions

BBC Brexit bias on flagship political programmes

IEA research features in The Telegraph

IEA research from 2017 on the balance of panellists on the BBC's flagship political programmes has been referenced in The Telegraph. In his article, columnist Charles Moore cites the IEA's detailed breakdown of the BBC's Any Questions panel balance: 59 per cent of panellists supported Remain, against only 32 per cent for Brexit (the remainder ... Continue reading
25 March 2019
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Brexit is an opportunity to take control of the UK’s regulations

22 March 2019
Government and Institutions

Brexit is an opportunity to take control of the UK’s regulations

Mark Littlewood appears on Chopper's Brexit podcast

Mark Littlewood, Director General at the Institute of Economic Affairs has appeared on The Telegraph's Brexit podcast to discuss Brexit and the question of who funds think tanks. On Brexit, Mark argues that Brexit could be a great opportunity for this country if it is done well. There are medium to long-term gains that I ... Continue reading
22 March 2019
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Norway Plus is no solution to Britain’s Brexit dilemma

21 March 2019
Trade, Development, and Immigration

Norway Plus is no solution to Britain’s Brexit dilemma

Victoria Hewson writes for CapX

Victoria Hewson, Senior Counsel at the Institute of Economic Affairs has written for CapX following the publication of her briefing on the possible models for leaving the EU. In the article Victoria argues that a 'Norway Plus' model of Brexit is legally fraught in the current forms of both the EFTA convention and the EEA ... Continue reading
21 March 2019
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